The Order of Wallachia
by clairlz
Summary: Somebody kidnaps Beth. Mick/Beth/Josef
1. Chapter 1

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxxx

_Two months ago_

The three men sit and watch the DVD playing on the TV screen. The quality is poor but considering the subject matter they are lucky to have it at all. All the shots were taken from long range to keep the pair from realizing they were being watched. It shows Beth running across rooftops and Mick in close pursuit. She is leaping from roof to roof and then she is in his arms and he's kissing her. The picture changes. It shows the same pair working out together with Mick teaching her hand-to-hand combat. The screen goes black. Frank gets up and turns the equipment off.

Damian looks from Frank to Ramsey. "She's fine where she's at. Josef and Michael are teaching her the things she needs to know at this point."

Ramsey shakes his head. "No. She's not progressing fast enough. Michael does seem to be doing adequately with the physical aspects of what she can do. The problem is nobody is working on her telepathic or empathic abilities. Neither he nor Josef are pushing her to learn more. They are letting her stumble through it very haphazardly. It's a ridiculous way for her to learn. Frank needs to go and get her now."

Frank stands in the corner with his arms crossed. He hates having to be a party to these discussions. "I can do that but first off the timing has got to be perfect. If either St. John or Josef gets wind of this or they catch us taking her there will be a blood bath. However, I also think she's fine where she's at."

Ramsey snorts at him. "You base that on what exactly?"

Frank sighs. "You've lost the ability to remember what it's like out in the world. From all the information we have on them the three of them make enemies, a lot of them."

"Yet another reason we should take her from them." Ramsey mumbles.

Frank continues. "Josef makes a great deal of enemies because of his power and position. St. John because of his work as a P.I. and because he does a lot of Josef's cleanup work for the local community in California. They have developed a good working relationship, never mind how close they are. Then there is Beth, the woman is a reporter and a good one and even when she was human, she didn't shy away from the bad guys. It's worse now that she's a vampire and doesn't have to worry about dying so easily. It's a very good thing that Josef didn't wait much longer to turn her. The council would have demanded that or her death, no matter what abilities she possesses. She's too good to know our secrets and stay outside."

"Yes, we all know that, get to the point." Ramsey says impatiently.

"The point is they need to do things this way, physical training first and the other later. She needs to be able to defend herself from the people who would like to use her to get to Josef or St. John or just plain kill her. It could also be that Josef didn't realize she was an empath until lately. It's not like anyone was volunteering any information to him." Frank looks pointedly at the two men. "If it matters, I think we should leave her where she is for the time being. If you're concerned about her being taught, Damian or I could approach Josef with a suggestion. He might listen if he thinks it's that or we come and get her."

"Warning Josef, we may take her is like painting a bull's eye on every one of us. Then you have the threat from Coraline's brothers. They would kill her or St. John or Josef for spite. She is the weak link. We need to bring her to teach her and protect her." Ramsey insists.

Frank snorts. "Do you read any of the reports I send you? She will never acquiesce to anything without an agreement from Josef and St. John. I don't mean one or the other, I mean both. If it has anything to do with the community, she leaves those decisions up to them. If you take her blindly, I have a hunch she will fight you tooth and nail. On top of that you will have them searching for her. Ramsey I would not want to be you if Josef figures out you have his fledgling."

Ramsey shrugs. "Then what we should do is take Michael as well and fix Coraline's mistakes with him. Josef would not move against us if we have them both. He wouldn't dare."

Frank looks at him like he's lost his mind. "Are you crazy? St. John is almost 90 years old. He is not a fledgling who you can brainwash. Not only that, but there are few vampires I have ever seen with his amount of resolve. Once he makes up his mind that's it until he's ready to change it. My God he went off fresh blood for close to twenty-five years. I can't even imagine. You'll never make any headway with him. That would be unbelievably stupid. Having them both on the inside together and Josef on the outside trying to get them free would be suicidal."

"Josef fought us, and, in the end, we got what we wanted, we can take these two as well." Ramsey stubbornly refuses to hear what Frank is saying.

Damian snorts. "More like we got what we deserved." Damian says sarcastically. "We got Josef to let us teach him but at what cost? In the end, the only reason that Josef didn't keep killing our people was because even he got fed up. We made a mistake by underestimating him and The Order ended up with a dangerous enemy."

Frank shakes his head. "Don't forget Ramsey here, Josef would kill him without a backward glance." Frank turns to Ramsey, "Is that why you stay out of the world at large, afraid you might run across Josef?" Frank smiles to himself as he sees a shadow of fear cross Ramsey's face. It's only there for a second but it's there, nonetheless._ Good. The son of a bitch should be scared of Josef._ "I actually think in the end Josef and I came to a place of understanding. Which is saying something considering I'm the one that kidnapped him in the first place."

"Yes, because you taught him how to be such an efficient killer. He took out so many of us without thinking twice." Ramsey spit at him.

Frank shakes his head at the memory. "Yea, at who's orders did I teach Josef what I know? Oh, yea, Ramsey now I remember, it was you who told me that you'd broken him. That he was tame, and it was a great idea for me to teach him to be your trained killer. I tried to tell you from the beginning that he had your number. You weren't listening then, and you aren't listening now. God you're an arrogant bastard. I'm telling you if you take the girl and hurt her, Josef will not stop killing this time until he's killed every one of us. I remember one thing very well about Josef and his idea of justice is pretty much an eye for an eye."

"Enough!" Damian commands.

Damian takes a deep breath. He thinks back three hundred years to when Josef was with them and he was Josef's teacher. "Josef and I also came to an understanding of sorts. I agree with Frank. Ramsey you and the Order have a lifelong enemy. We need to proceed very cautiously. We should have listened to Frank then and we should listen to him now."

Ramsey stands up and throws his notes on the table. "Fine but if it looks like Coraline's brothers are making a move I want her brought in for her own protection. If need be, Michael as well. There is all kind of coercion to make a point." And he stalks from the room.

Frank looks at Damian and shrugs. "It's a good thing it's not the old days and he's not the only one in charge." Frank moves to the door.

"Frank, wait a minute. Do any of your reports mention how close her relationship with Josef is? Obviously, she and Michael are lovers."

Frank shakes his head. "No, and Josef's security and paranoia make it impossible to watch her when she's living with him. I can ask around the community, but we risk being exposed. Josef has Los Angeles sewed up. Nobody crosses him and lives to tell about it. He rewards good work and information handsomely. One question to the wrong vamp and it blows up in our faces. You know that family almost as well as I do. They go to war over their fledglings.

Damian looks off into the distance. "Yes. Besides the eye for an eye, protecting their fledglings is what they teach in that bloodline." Damian sighs. "You weren't privy to all the behind the scenes council discussions that were going on at the time. When the reasons for Josef killing our people came out into the open it forced the council to deal with Ramsey at least cosmetically. Then only because Josef's sire was one of them and forced the issue. Vampires are not the most caring bunch, but Lady Vanessa made a point of pushing the issue. She was infuriated that Ramsey had hurt her child and they were sitting on their hands. She made them face the possibility of it being one of their own. She did this by threatening to take a couple of fledglings that had been turned by other council members. and doing what Ramsey did to Josef to them. She got her point across. So, yes, no matter how deeply Josef is involved with his fledgling he will go to war over her. Especially if Ramsey is involved. The question is how bad it will be before I can get Josef to see that we are on his side if we have to take her first."

Damian sighs and continues. "I wonder…. She moves back and forth between them. Considering Josef is her sire and the bond between Michael and Josef…. Be careful if it comes to taking her. The two of them could decimate our ranks. I have a hunch the two of them together could kill even the oldest of us."

Frank shakes his head. "If I were you, I would give some extra thought to keeping St. John from finding out what you've been up to over the years. Another thing, if we ever take her it's got to be done when she's living at St. Johns. Once she goes back to Josef's we'll never get close enough to take her without a lot of blood being spilled. He's beefed his security up since Lola went through his place and killed so many of his people."

"How difficult do you think she's going to be? We've talked about Josef and Michael, what about Beth?"

Frank continues. "She's going to be difficult but not impossible. Sure St. John has taught her to handle herself but it's always in controlled situations. From the reports I've read they have protected her from any real violence since she was turned. The only time I can detect anything bad happening in her past was when she was human, and the ADA was killed. When Josef defended her against Lola. Even when Coraline was in the mix this last time, St. John made her run for cover. She was far removed from the violence. That was taken care of by Josef and St. John."

Damian shakes his head. "You forget her killing that vampire in her and Michael's apartment."

Frank nods. "You're right, but that was a fluke. What are the odds of a human being able to face down three vamps and killing one? I'll talk to the team and make sure they know how important it is to keep her in one piece. I don't think she's going to be that tough."

"Frank, remember who her sire is and don't get cocky. You remember what it was like when you took Josef. She's still his fledgling."

Frank snorts. "Yea, but she's not Josef and this isn't the sixteen hundred. People today are soft and she's a child. That was a much different time. Josef was used to death and destruction, she's not. Plus, we have drugs now and we didn't then. Josef was one of our worst cases. He got five men before we got him subdued. I still think this discussion is very premature. Ramsey is wrong. She's far better off where she is. We can take her, but I don't think she's ever going to buckle."

Damian sighs. "Unless we have Michael or Josef, for leverage, which is the other stupid thing Ramsey wants." Damian holds up his hand as Frank starts to interrupt. "I know, no one in their right mind would try to take Josef, but Ramsey isn't in his right mind and I'm not sure he ever has been. He's starting to fixate on the child."

"Damian, I want to ask you something, between you and me.

Damian nods. He has a good idea of what is coming.

"What I want to know is why Ramsey is still tolerated? The things he's done…. still does, from the rumors I hear…. He's made a lot of enemies. Why hasn't anyone gotten rid of him?"

Damian sighs. "I had high hopes that Josef would do it. When he didn't, it was almost a signal that Ramsey was powerful enough to do whatever he wants. I've tried to rein him in over the years and have to some degree. Like you I know he's still that twisted creature that tortured Josef. As long as Ramsey keeps his terrible hobbies out of the light, the council can continue to ignore him. After what happened with Josef, he was smart enough to not tempt fate by hurting another fledgling from either Josef's bloodline or St. Johns. Though I hear the rumors that he's still at it, with others. And he's starting to fixate on Beth. If he gets too far over the edge, he may not care that she's Josef's fledgling. If that happens and he gets his hands on her, then all bets are off." He shakes his head. "I should have done something about Ramsey a long time ago but, I didn't and now it's too late. I'm not too proud to admit that I've lost my edge. He also has some powerful supporters. Without the right cause there could be reprisals."

"Would Josef be seen as having cause at this late date?"

"Yes, what not many know is Vanessa made them give Josef license to do whatever he deemed necessary where the order is concerned. Ramsey has his supporters on the council but these days, so does Josef. There is hope among some of the council that someday Josef will be a member of that exclusive group. He just needs to live a few hundred more years. Josef made a hell of an impression when he went on his rampage; he wasn't quite a hundred years old. No one wants that again, especially now that he's four hundred years old."

That's one reason why it's so important that we don't take Beth unless absolutely necessary. I would very much to be able to teach her but not at the cost of having Josef start up again. I'm sure Josef's memory of being a fledgling with us is not some pleasant memory. He would wish on his own fledgling, weather his relationship to her is close or not."

Damian shakes his head. "Keep your ear to the ground and watch Ramsey. You know as well as I do that there are those in our ranks who would agree with Ramsey about taking Beth. Do you still have a contact inside Lance's household? If Lance and his brothers present a problem, that is where we could lose control."

Frank's face is grim. "Yes. But it's very dangerous to contact that person. I have told them not to contact me at all unless it's of the utmost importance."

Damian nods and wishes he could see the future.

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Ramsey watches the video of Beth and Mick again. He turns to his second in command. "What do you think? Can you take her without killing her?"

Bishop shrugs. "Without hurting her, maybe, without killing her, most certainly. She's a vamp; she's not made of glass."

Ramsey nods and goes back to watching her on the screen. Bishop gets up to leave the room and Ramsey calls him back. "Bishop, see what you can set up to take either Josef or Michael as well."

Bishop shakes his head. "Ramsey, not Josef… I won't even entertain the idea. I'm not crazy about taking St. John but there is at least a chance with him, with Josef no chance at all. One more thing to consider about this course. If we take St. John, remember he and Josef are as close as brothers, we won't even discuss taking Josef's fledgling. You're asking for Josef to become deeply involved in this. If he starts killing again, this time he won't stop before he gets to you."

Ramsey shrugs, not hearing Bishops warning about Josef. "Fine. Michael then. Figure it out."

Bishop snorts at the stupidity of it all. He's seen Ramsey with one of these obsessions of his before. He is becoming obsessed with St. John's little blond. Bishop wouldn't want to be her if Ramsey gets a hold of her. He smiles, there is one bright spot, Ramsey may finally get more than he can handle if they take the girl and St. John. Josef most assuredly will kill Ramsey this time.

Bishop looks down at his watch and gets in the elevator to go down to the basement. The doors open to the steam pipes and wiring of the building. No one ever comes down here so it's of course the perfect place to meet. He walks to the small janitorial office and finds Frank pouring him a glass of his favorite. "Frank my friend, it's about to get interesting."

Frank smiles grimly. "If that's what you want to call it. Let's see how many we can keep alive before it's all said and done."

xxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxx

_1 month ago, …_

Mick enters the apartment. It doesn't take but a second to realize that there is the smell of an unfamiliar vamp in the apartment. He hits the stairs running hoping that Beth is okay. He senses some nervousness and worry from her but no fear. When he gets to the terrace, he finds Beth and a strange vampire sitting across from each other chatting. They are sharing a bottle of his best scotch and some AB negative from Josef's private stock. Beth turns to him and smiles. She senses his distress.

Mick glances at her companion and sees a late thirties looking vamp with one black pupil. "I wasn't sure who was in the apartment."

Beth nods. "It's all right. You remember Lance. He came to talk to you about Coraline."

Lance gets up and crosses the terrace to Mick and they shake hands. Beth turns to them. "Hey, I have to go to work." She leans in and kisses Mick. "I'll call you later." She turns to Lance, "It was nice to meet you Lance." Mick nods, not taking his eyes off Lance until he senses Beth has left the apartment. "Thank you for not frightening her."

Lance shrugs. "My business is with you. I see no reason to involve her, at this point." The subtle threat is not lost on Mick. "She was quite gracious once she realized I meant her no harm; she's going to be quite a handful when she gets older."

Mick snorts. "She's a handful now."

Mick notices that Lance is doing his best to seem disarming. Lance continues. "I don't know if my dear sister mentioned it, but she had six brothers and we were all turned long ago."

Mick nods. "Is this about retribution for killing Coraline?"

"Hardly. You saved us the trouble. We didn't even know what she'd been up to these last fifty some years. We wouldn't have cared much but she managed to get in and out of the estate and stole something from the family. We've been looking for her. Imagine our surprise when word reached us that she had been killed by her husband." Lance smirks, "And apparently not for the first time."

Mick shrugs, grateful that Lance is taking his sisters demise so well. "What can I say, she brought out the worst in some people and she is really and truly dead this time."

Lance snorts. "That she did. I did some investigating when I got here, as you can imagine people are never reluctant to tell me what I want to know."

For a second Mick feels the power rolling off the old vamp. "Yes, I can imagine you don't have much problem getting information." Mick is sure lying to Lance would not be an option. He wishes Lance would get to the point so Mick can get him the hell out of the apartment.

"So, I find that she turned you against your wishes and ours?"

Mick looks at him puzzled.

"We're royalty. We tend to be snobbish, what can I say?"

"Are you mocking yourself or are you serious?"

Lance smiles. "I'm afraid, a little of both. Our bloodline goes back to King Louis the 16th of France and we're rather proud of it. The family made a pact a long time ago. We would not include anyone in the bloodline that wasn't approved of ahead of time and you were not approved of."

Mick knows there is absolutely nothing he can do if this vamp decides to kill him. "So, what are you going to do about it?" Mick prepares himself for a fight.

"Now that I've met you, nothing. I suspect we would have approved of you. You have the gift. I'm sure that she knew if push came to shove, we would have been approved of your turning retroactively. We ask that you don't turn anyone haphazardly and contact us first if the desire arises."

Mick nods. "I'm not likely to turn anyone any time soon, if ever. I didn't even turn Beth."

"Yes, I noticed that, but someone of the other true bloodline did. She also has a gift. She's quite enchanting for someone so young. I congratulate you on your choice of a mate. She will be much more fun than my sister. One last thing, I understand that you don't relish being a vampire. Not many know this but there is a cure of sorts, and because you are of our bloodline, I can offer you a bit if it's found."

Mick smiles, Ah, that's what this is about, and that was the inducement to help find it. "Yes, I saw it firsthand. Coraline used it a couple of times. She wanted to offer it to me but because of Beth, there doesn't seem to be much reason anymore. Coraline wasn't pleased about that. No thanks. Beth has convinced me in several ways that this really is the life I was meant to live."

Lance nods. "Good. I'm going to tell you a couple of things that I know you won't repeat." Mick slowly shakes his head. He knows he doesn't want Lance as an enemy if it can be helped. "The substance that Coraline took is not something that can be reproduced. The plants that were used in its production are extinct. The damn peasants ate them a few hundred years ago. So, what we have left is all there is and it's not much. She stole a tin of it from us if you come across it, the family would be very grateful to have it returned."

Mick eyes Lance warily. "Do any of you leave Europe very often?"

Lance smirks. "No, we have connections and power struggles with other old families that keep us busy enough. That tin needs to be found and if I need to stay and look for it, then I need to stay and look for it. Its return is of the utmost importance to the family."

Mick laughs and Lance looks at him quizzically. "No offense but that alone is enough reason for me to make sure you get it back. I would just as soon you went back to Europe. One your age around here is enough. Follow me."

The two go downstairs and Mick moves some books around on his shelves and a safe is revealed. He spins the dial and opens it up. He extracts the small tin and hands it to Lance. "I found it when I searched the place where she was living. I wanted to make sure she hadn't left anything behind that would blow up in my face once she was dead."

Lance opens it and smiles, "Thank you Mr. St. John. How on earth did my sister ever manage to end up with someone like you? In my experience she never wasted time on anyone who had character. It was one of the reasons for the pact on turnings."

Mick snorts. "We all have our obsessions and I may not have always had much character."

Lance slightly bows to Mick. "Thank you again. I'll take my leave of you. As you American's say, if there is anything you need. We owe you one." Lance turns to leave and stops. "I will tell you one thing. Keep a close eye on the young woman. There are people, who would most certainly like to use her gift for their own agenda." He gives Mick a small smile. "Someday the three of you will be powerful enough to challenge the ruling council in this country. There are people who most assuredly will want to stop that before it can ever happen." Before Mick can question Lance, he is gone.

Mick grabs the phone and punches up Josef's number. Josef picks up on the first ring. "Beth is here, and she is telling me you have a visitor. She's extremely worried."

"Yes, he's gone. It was a very weird meeting. He wanted me to know he could snap me like a twig but not threaten me so much I wouldn't help him if I could. I suppose it was his idea of the carrot and the stick approach. "

"Did it work?"

"You're damn right. No offense, but Lance, makes you seem like a pussy cat."

_Little do you know._ Josef smiles into the phone. "That's me, just a big pussy cat."

And suddenly Mick has the feeling that he would not ever want to see Josef really and pissed off. Time to change the subject. "How's Beth? She seemed nervous and a bit worried when she left. She said she was going to work."

"Oh, she covered pretty well then because when she got here, she was pretty upset. She thought you would do better not having to worry about her, so she decided to get out of there as soon as it made sense. I told her you would call me right away. Hold on a minute. I want to let her know you're all right and I'm not going to have to avenge your bloody bones." Mick hears some muffled talking in the background and Josef comes back on the line. "She is going to work now. She said she would call you when she gets there. Is he likely to be trouble?"

Mick snorts. "No. At this moment, I'm sure he's headed for his private jet on his way back to Europe. He got what he came for and he says the family owes me one." Mick decides to tell Josef the rest of it another day.

Josef lets out a low whistle. "You do make the strangest friends."

Xxxxxxx

_Present day…._

Frank flips open his phone. "Bishop?"

"Frank it's a go for two days from now. Ramsey is at his retreat, meditating." Frank can hear the sarcasm in Bishops voice. "He called to tell me to get my people ready. He found out Beth is at St. John's alone. He doesn't want to wait. Someone told him you said it must be done before she goes back to Josef's. He also has convinced enough of the right people that the Duvall's are about to make a move on her to get even with St. John. The plan is to take them both, while they are separated from each other and Josef."

"Damn. How in the hell did Ramsey find out she was alone? I thought we had this mess contained. Thanks for the heads up." Frank shuts his phone and thinks of how to progress.

Bishop crosses the parking lot to the three young humans waiting for him. "Hey, Freddie, what's up?"

Freddie glances around and then looks back at Bishop. "Bishop? You asked for the meeting you tell me."

Bishop smiles. Freddie is not the sharpest tool in the shed. He hates bringing humans into this. There is no way St. John gets taken by surprise by vamps without some fancy footwork. He'd know something was wrong a mile away. Bishop needs to keep St. John off balance so at least one of his plans works.

"Freddie, I need you to kill a guy. I'll pay you and your boys over there, ten-grand."

Freddie smiles. "Ten-grand isn't much money to whack a guy. For you Bishop, a returning customer, I have a counteroffer. How about ten-grand but with a bonus of five for me? You know for setting the deal up."

Bishop gives a mental shrug. "Hey, however you want it. There are some conditions; it needs to be done a certain way. We need to send a message to certain people, so the killing needs to be done as I say. You must stick a wooden stake in him and call me so I can see the body. No other damage. We want to make sure his people can recognize him and what was done to him."

Freddie shrugs. "Fine with me. Are you trying to call someone a bloodsucker or something? I mean that's how you kill vampires."

Bishop laughs at the joke. "Yea, blood suckers. You figured it out." _Idiot._ "He's staying in this hotel. I figure the guy will leave tonight or tomorrow night. I'll show you his car. You stake his car out and when you see him coming have your crew ready for him. Here's a picture of him." Bishop hands Freddie a picture of Mick.

Freddie scrunches his face up. "Can't we watch him, so we know when he's leaving?"

Bishop shakes his head no. "Believe me this guy will know you're there in a minute and the whole deal will be blown. Be ready at his car. So, is it a deal? You stick a stake in his chest and call me. I'll be ready."

Freddie nods and they walk towards the parking lot so Bishop can show Andy the car.

xxxxxxx

Frank walks into Damian's office. "We need to talk about Beth and St. John."

Damian looks up. "What about them?"

"I have information that says Ramsey has the support to send his people after them. Ramsey's people will make their move two nights from now."

Damian shakes his head. "You're sure?"

Frank nods. "Yes, we need to get to her first, she's the lynch pin for this plan. Without her there is no reason to take St. John.

Damian nods. "If Ramsey gets to her, he will do things to her that will require absolute retribution on everyone's part. It will tear everything apart. It could even split the council and I guarantee you there won't be anything left of us once Josef gets through."

Damian knows the answer but asks anyway "Can you do this?"

Frank knows there is a double meaning to the question. "Yes, Vanessa is going to be royal pissed either way. If I let something happen to Josef's fledgling and don't make a move to stop it..." He trails off, thinking of the consequences. "You know how Vanessa is about 'family'. If Ramsey gets his hands-on Beth, Vanessa will never forgive me, that I can't live with. So, to answer your question, yes, I can do this. It needs to be done. We've geared up for this since it became apparent that Ramsey was going to make a try for Beth." Frank opens his phone and starts making calls as he walks out the door.

Frank looks across the plane. These are his best men and they've done a lot of extractions together. This should be a piece of cake. _Extraction_. He shakes his head. When did they start calling kidnapping, extraction? Maybe they are getting soft as well. Most of the team is well over two hundred years old but it's all so easy anymore. The young ones now don't have any fight like the old days. He hopes Josef and St. John stay put. That is the only wild card. If one of them shows up unexpectedly it will get out of hand in a hurry. Even if he could explain, there is no telling how many could end up dead. He gets a flash of Vanessa in his mind and pushes it away. He knows what she would think about what he's about to do and it's not good, particularly because it involves Josef.

Pete parks the van in the garage of Mick's building. Frank opens the door and turns to his team. "Ok, everybody knows their part." He looks at them individually to drive his point home. "Everybody knows that we do whatever is necessary to keep her from any permanent damage. A couple of you remember what Josef was like. I don't for one want to have to deal with him and St. John over a dead fledgling slash lover. Pete you need to keep a look out for any vamps. You've seen St. John and Josef's pictures. For God's sake, if you spot either of them sing out." Pete nods.

Frank turns to William. "You have the electronic lock pick?"

William nods. "I wish I could have tried it out on St. John's door ahead of time. He knows a couple hackers and any one of them could have altered that lock or booby trapped the door."

Frank shrugs. "We're going to have to go with what we have and hope there hasn't been any tinkering."

Silently the five of them go up the elevator to Mick's apartment. Frank has a tranquilizer gun hidden under his duster. They come out of the elevator and he gives everyone their last-minute instructions. "Once William gets the door open, Ben you and Howard go in first. Distract her then I'll shoot her with the tranquilizer." He turns. "Tim, you and Russ wait in the hall. Once we have her down you get in here and stick that I.V. in her arm. I don't want her any more hysterical than need be. The last thing we need is St. John 'seeing' her taken out of here wild eyed and fighting. At least if he sees her sleeping, he should know we don't intend to harm her." The two men nod.

William clicks the lock and Ben and Howard slip in the door and then it swings shut and locks behind them. Frank turns to William who is shaking his head. "Damn, I told you. The damn thing is booby-trapped. It's going to take me a good five minutes to get it back open."

Frank shakes his head. "Make it three. Shit. I hope they don't have to hurt her. It will be our hides if they do. Tim, you and Russ be ready to go in and do whatever needs to be done. Set the IV line down we can worry about getting it in her once we find out if they've hurt her."

Beth hears the click of the front door and wonders why Mick is back so soon. He's been gone almost a week. He isn't supposed to come back for a few more days. She listens and reaches out to him and realizes with a start that it's not Mick down there but two vamps she doesn't know. She freezes, remembering the last time she was attacked by vampires in this apartment. She smiles grimly to herself. She managed to kill one of them and she was still human. She forms a quick plan.

The first thing is she needs to do is get down the stairs. If she stays up here, she has nowhere to go, no exit and she can get trapped. Beth flies down the stairs as fast as she can and doesn't hesitate at the bottom. She doesn't know their exact positions. She prepares to run into them and hopefully knock them flat and head straight for Mick's weapons chest.

There is no resistance when she gets to the bottom of the stairs. As she passes them, she senses they are in the kitchen watching her. She makes it to the weapons chest, flings it open and grabs the little crossbow. Thankfully Mick left it loaded. She gets off one shot and hits the first one in the shoulder. The second one looks amazed and she smiles. Mick was right. They underestimated her because she's so young. She gets the bow loaded. The second vamp recovers his wits and comes at her fast and tries to wrestle it away from her. He's strong and she's afraid he's going to get the bow away from her. She uses every bit of strength and leverage she has and aims the bow at him as they struggle, and she pulls the trigger. It hits him dead center in the chest and he falls to the floor.

She grabs the machete out of the chest and slices the first one across the throat. She buries the machete in the throat of the second. The machete sticks in the floor. She starts to pull the machete out, but she hears footsteps in the hall and then the lock on the door clicks. She looks up to sees two more vampires come rushing in and start to circle her. As they circle, she feels a pain. She looks down and there is a dart sticking out of her shoulder. She looks up and there is another one at the door with a gun in his hand. The room starts to swirl around her, and she looks at the shooter. "You are so dead." She tells him as she falls to the floor.

Tim catches her before she hits the ground. He lays her on the couch. Frank turns to Russ. "Get that damn I.V. in her arm." He does as he's instructed, and the clear liquid begins to drip into her arm. "Well, hopefully that will keep her down."

Tim looks around the room at the dead vamps on the floor. "What a blood thirsty little bitch."

Frank turns to him. "Yea, you know, it's not like she was attacked in her own home or anything." _Shit._ "We're so use to extracting young ones that have no fight in them we've lost our edge. Face it; we, no I, underestimated her and two of our people are dead because of it. St. John and Josef did a hell of a job with her."

"Any idea how many days we have until they start looking for her?"

"If we get lucky a week but something tells me Damian won't leave it up to luck." Frank says.

Beth stirs in her drug-induced sleep. "Shit. Russ, adjust the flow on that drip." Frank looks at Tim. "You can't overdose a vamp, can you?"

"No, but the more of this crap we pump into her the worse she's going to feel when she wakes up. Make sure there is blood for her to feed and it won't last long. If she feels rotten it's more likely that either Josef or St. John will know something has happened to her. From the reports we have her connection to them is strong. Emotional upset intensifies the bond in extreme conditions."

"We should be able to fight back with this one." Russ growls.

Frank swivels and looks at him. "You lay a hand on her and I'll kill you myself. You know the stakes with this one. I can't believe you would bitch because she had the guts to take on a pair of, two-hundred-year-old vampires and win. She's barely out of fledgling status. Let's get out of here and get her on the plane. I sure as hell don't want to have fight with her."

xxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome**.


	3. Chapter 3

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

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Mick decides it's time to go home. He knows Beth has gone back to Josef's by now. He sighs. It's going to be a long year without her. It's never easy when she leaves. He needs to adjust his thinking to looking forward to when she comes back to him. Mick shakes his head to try and clear it. He's feeling very short-tempered and distracted.

He checks out of the hotel and heads for the parking lot and his car. As he approaches his car, he sees someone bending over the engine of the vehicle next to his. He senses it's a human. Mick feels a growl coming on. He is not in the mood to deal with anyone's troubles. He notices that the man is blocking Mick's driver side door. Mick gives a sigh and tries to reign in his temper. He goes around to the trunk, opens it and tosses in his suitcase. He approaches Freddie to ask him if he wants Mick to call for a tow. In one quick movement Freddie moves back and shoots at Mick with a small crossbow. Freddie still moves like a human and Mick easily has time to dodge the stake before the shot reaches him.

Mick grabs Freddie's wrist and twists down and away. The crossbow drops to the ground. Mick hears the bones in Freddie's wrist popping and a couple tendons tearing. Freddie screams and the rest of the crew comes running.

Mick pulls his 45 out and aims it at them. He's still holding a contorted Freddie with little effort with is other hand. "Now I don't know what you morons had in mind and truthfully, I don't care. I'm having a bad week and I'm not in the mood for this crap. I'm leaving and you can stay or go but if you stay, you'll be dead. It's up to you." They hear the growl that escapes Mick's throat and the threat of violence in his voice. Freddie's whimpers convince them that they are better off elsewhere, they scatter. Mick looks down at Freddie. "Nice crew you've got there. What a bunch of idiots. Now I'm going to let go of you. If you do anything but run in the opposite direction you are as good as dead. Do you understand?"

Freddie nods vigorously.

Mick lets go of the ruined wrist. Freddie hugs his hand to his chest and runs away as best he can.

Bishop watches through the long-range scope. "Shit. Never send humans to do a vamps job." Bishop hopes St. John is off balance enough that the second part of his plan will work. He pulls open his phone and hits the redial. "You're up."

Mick leans down to pick up the crossbow. Before he has time to give the incident much thought he hears a woman scream. He homes in on where the scream came from and runs in that direction. He comes upon a young woman who is backed up against a brick wall by two vamps. One of them glances in his direction. "Man, get your own dinner. This little morsel is ours."

Mick shakes his head. "I don't think so." Without giving it a second thought, Mick puts himself between the woman and the two vamps. The two vamps are keeping him busy trying to get around him to the girl. She pulls a stake out of her purse and plunges it in Mick's back, and he hits the ground. One of the vamps goes over and kisses the girl long and deep. "Good little freshie, nice job. He won't hurt anyone again. Now you go home and don't talk to anyone about this. We'll take it from here."

She nods and walks off, confident that she's helped stop a rogue vampire. They load Mick into a van and drive away.

Xxxxxxxxx

The two vamps stand in the shadows across from Mick's apartment. One of them opens his phone and calls Bishop. "I don't think she's home. We've been watching for her for two days and there hasn't been any sign of her. Maybe she's already at Kostan's."

Bishop sighs in resignation. "I can't believe we could have missed her. Have you seen Josef?"

"No. Only people going in and out are humans who have offices on different floors."

Bishop smiles. Hopefully Frank already has her. "Go up to St. John's apartment and see what you can find and then call me. Use the electronic lock pick I gave you. Get in and see if there is any sign of her and get out. Don't get caught in there. I know where St. John is but I haven't a clue about Josef and you do not want him to catch you in there."

The two vamps approach Mick's door cautiously. One of them starts working with the electronic key and the other one notices the door ajar and pushes it open. They look at each other a little nervously. They slowly enter the apartment; trying to sense is anyone is inside. They smell the vamp blood and then find the bodies of the two vamps that Beth killed. Immediately they recognize them as part of Frank's crew. "Shit. They beat us to her."

The one in charge flips open his phone and calls Bishop back. "Frank has her. Two of his guys are dead on the floor. Looks like she must have been a hand full."

Bishop swears into the phone. _Good work Frank._ "Damn. Ramsey is going to have a fit. Get out of there and get back to the home base and I'll take care of calling Ramsey." Bishop hangs up and punches up Ramsey's number to give him the bad news. He holds the phone out at arm's length until Ramsey gets done yelling. "How the hell do I know how they got to her first? I'm going to tell my guys to cut St. John lose. Without the girl to make him behave he's going to be more trouble than he's worth. We already know that he and Josef don't trade for each other. The girl was the only one that would have given us any leverage."

"Fine!" Ramsey barks into the phone and hangs up. Bishop smiles and waits for the call from the van.

Mick groans and tries to regain consciousness. Vaguely he can hear men talking but not what they are saying. One of the men flips his phone open and punches up a number. "We got him." He listens for a minute. "What do you mean let him go? He's staked in the van." He listens some more. "Yes, we can do that." He closes the phone and taps the driver on the shoulder. "Change of plan. Go back to his car." They circle back to Mick's car and roll him out on the pavement. One jumps out and pulls the stake from his chest and they barrel off into the night before he can get moving again.

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Josef is in a foul mood and he doesn't understand it. Beth will be home soon. He should be happy, not snarling at everyone. Robert and anyone else, who has any sense is staying away from him. The staff at the house is down to a bare minimum. It is so bad that he is drinking his meals out of a bottle because he doesn't want to hurt one of the girls.

Josef paces his study. If he didn't know for a fact that Beth would stake him, he would go out and get in the Ferrari and push it as hard as he can. Except he promised her he wouldn't do that again without calling her. It's ridiculously embarrassing to be this close to the edge when she's so close to coming home. For a minute worry flashes across his mind but he pushes it away. Mick would call if something were wrong. She will be home in less than a week. He supposes it's his lack of patients to have her home. In four hundred years, patience is not something Josef has developed much of.

Beth studies everything around her. She takes another drink of the blood she found in the small refrigerator. She's starting to feel better. She hates not having any idea where she is. Once the fight in the apartment was over, they shot her with something akin to an elephant tranquilizer. She was down and out. She woke up in this room, feeling like crap but the blood's taking care of that. The room has been vampire proofed thoroughly. There are no windows. The door is made of something stronger than she is, even if she could find a place to get a grip on the slick surface. The hinges are on the other side and it's electronic with no handle. Nothing worse than vamps kidnapping vamps. Some of the luggage she was going to take with her back to Josef's sits in the corner. She can smell someone else's scent on the inside with her clothes. Which means someone went through the case before they left it with her. No laptop, which sucks.

Beth sits on a bed with her knees drawn up to her chest. There is a freezer in the corner for her to sleep in. There is a dresser across from that. A Small refrigerator is bolted to the floor next to the dresser and a bathroom off to the right. It's comfortable enough.

Beth watches as the door swings open and two vamps enter. The first one looks at her a little nervously and the second wheels in a cart past him and into the room. Beth sees that it's loaded with bottled blood. The one with the cart looks at her and smiles. "Hey, you're awake. What's your preference?"

Beth watches the two of them very carefully. They don't seem to have any weapons. What the hell. She gives him her best disarming smile. "Well, I'm not sure. I mean what do you have? I found some A positive in the fridge but that's not my usual. Can I smell it? I like AB negative." She gets up off the bed and starts towards the two. The one with the cart is looking through the bottles to find the AB negative. The other one is looking at her nervously.

The one with the cart looks up. "You can smell it, but I assure you it's all very fresh. Let me see, I know I have some AB negative here." Beth edges her way close to the cart. When she gets within reach, she grabs the one closes to her and snaps his neck in one quick movement. She knows he'll heal but it's the best she can do under the circumstances and he should at least be down for a few days. The second one is out the door and gone before she can get to him. The door latches automatically behind him before Beth can get her hands on it. _Damn_

Pete sees Frank walking down the hall. "I'm not going back in there with that bitch. She snapped Tim's neck and he was trying to bring her some blood. You deal with her." Frank watches, as Pete turns and stalks off. He shakes his head and calls Russ on the intercom. "Get down to Beth's room. I need some help with her." Russ comes down the hall to meet Frank. "What do you need?"

Frank explains what Pete said happened. "We're going in, we'll do your basic distract and disarm. We need to get Tim's body out of there and get him to his freezer. You do that and I'll get her fridge stocked. After this I'll take responsibility for her. Nobody goes in or out but me."

Beth steps around the one on the floor. She shrugs as she starts picking over the bottles of blood looking for the AB negative. The door swings open again, and she charges Russ before he's all the way in the door. He ducks away from her. Too late she sees Frank behind him as he jams a stake in her shoulder before she can get out of his way. _Damn_. She lays on the floor vaguely aware of what's going on around her. She thinks that the body of the one with the snapped neck is taken out. She hears the little fridge being opened and closed a couple of times. Then she sees a man who shot her and now staked her, looking down at her. "Here is how it's going to work. I'm going to take the stake out of your shoulder. You're going to get your ass over to the fridge and get some blood down you so your body can heal. Your fridge will be filled whenever it gets low, so drink whatever you need. I don't expect you to stop trying to kill us but that's fine. Nobody is going in or out of this room but me and it's damn unlikely you can kill me. Josef couldn't do it four hundred years ago and you're not likely to be able to do it now." He reaches down and pulls the stake from her shoulder. "By the way, my name is Frank."

Josef swallows down the last of the scotch in his glass and slams the glass down on the bar. This has got to stop. He snaps up his phone and punches up Beth's number. If he checks in with her for a couple minutes, it will settle his nerves. He listens to it ring until it kicks over to her voice mail. He growls into the phone for her to call him.

Over the next few hours he continues to call and still there is no answer. He's becoming alarmed and worried. This isn't like her. He decides he better call Mick. He listens for a minute and Mick finally answers. "What?" Mick growls into the phone." Mick takes a deep breath trying to steady his nerves. "Sorry about that. I got jumped and staked. I'm still not up to speed. I'm back in the bar having a blood and tonic, trying to figure out who the hell even knew where I was going to be. Josef, I didn't expect to hear from you. I thought you and Beth would be busy getting her moved back in."

Josef absorbs this information and his whole body stops, gripped by fear for her. "Mick she's not here. She's not supposed to be here for another four days."

Mick is silent, hoping he heard Josef wrong. "Josef, she told you she was coming next week so she could surprise you. She was supposed to be back to your place three days ago."

Josef takes a deep breath. At least he knows what's been bothering him. He tries to stay calm. Something has happened to her and he should have known it. "Damn it. Mick when was the last time you saw her and where was that?"

Mick feels the fear starting to set in and pushes it away. "A week or more ago at the apartment. You know how hard it is on her to say good-bye. We decided that I would leave town for a week and let her have the apartment to herself to kind of get her bearings again. Then after the week was up, she would be ready to move back in with you. I've been in Vegas for a week almost ten days now. She was scheduled to be back at your place three days ago. She wanted to surprise you by showing up early"

"You haven't spoken to her on the phone or anything?"

"No, nothing. The whole idea was for her to get used to being away from me. So, as hard it was to do, I let her be. Josef, she even took a week off work. Have you tried to call her?"

"Several times. You better get back here. I'm going to your place. I'll call you if I find anything, Try and remember everything you can about whoever attacked you. It's almost has to be connected."

"On my way." Mick ends the call.

Josef calls Robert. He tells him the situation and tells him to spread the word to everyone he can think of to be on the lookout for her. Josef heads over to Mick's.

Josef stands at Mick's door remembering the last time he went looking for Beth in Mick's apartment when she human. He takes a deep breath and hopes hell the phones are out of order. The door opens and. the smell of vampire blood hits him and his senses zero in on it, quickly trying to determine if it's Beth's. Realizing it's not, he's relieved. He reaches out to her, trying to sense her whereabouts and gets nothing. He enters the apartment and finds two dead vampires. He continues to search the apartment looking for any signs of Beth. The apartment is only somewhat trashed. Mick's weapons chest is on the floor open and the contents is scattered all over the floor. Josef bends over and picks up one of the stakes that Mick loads into the crossbow and turns it over in his hand. He puts it in his pocket. If this is as it appears, vamps after them then that might be a small surprise for someone. He continues to search the apartment. Josef finds the drawers Beth keeps her clothes in open and only one of her suitcases in the room.

Josef flips open his phone. "Who knew she was going to be here alone?" He growls at Mick.

"No one I know of. What did you find?"

"Two dead vamps. It looks like she shot them with your little crossbow. One has his throat slashed and the other one has your machete buried in his neck. She's nowhere to be found and there is no scent of any blood but theirs. There is the scent of several more vamps, one of them vaguely familiar. I can't place it." Josef says sourly. "One of her suitcases is missing and yet it looks like she was packing and was interrupted. I wonder if she's on the run from them, but her car is still here. I'm going to leave this for you. Two sets of eyes are better than one and this is more your area of expertise. Maybe you can sense what happened."

Mick nods to himself.

"I'm spreading the word to the community. If anyone has any information about her whereabouts, they will be rewarded. Someone has to know something."

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**Comments are always welcome. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I to play.**

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Beth is sure by now; Josef and Mick have discovered her missing. She doesn't understand why but her connection to them is gone and is scares her. She feels so alone. She knows in her heart they will find her. She wishes she could feel them close.

Frank comes through the door and refills the small refrigerator in the corner.

He carries a stake in his back pocket but other than that, it doesn't appear that he's carrying any weapons at all. She watches him very closely. She can see a smile play across his face. When he finishes with his task, he turns to her, "When you see St. John again," he smiles at her softly. "And I promise, you will, you tell him he did a hell of a job training you. It's been a long time since I've seen a fledgling able to defend themselves this well."

Beth cocks her head at him. "Do you know Mick?"

Frank shakes his head. "Only by reputation."

"You said Josef couldn't kill you three hundred years ago and I won't be able to now. How much older than Josef are you?"

"I'm about two hundred years older than Josef. I oversaw the team that took Josef in the early sixteen hundred. He killed five of my men before we got him subdued, but then we didn't have drugs in those days. You may have gotten a couple more if not for the tranquiller gun."

"Yea, that was cheating."

"No, the idea was for everyone to have stayed alive. If St. John's door hadn't been rigged, we could have all come in at once and you'd have been out cold before you could have done any damage. I'm doing my penance for being overconfident and getting my men killed by taking care of you. That way you don't get to kill anyone else. You won't stop trying, will you?"

Beth smiles at him sweetly. "Sure. I was frightened. I didn't mean to hurt anyone." She stands up and he watches her warily as she inches her way towards him. He can feel her trying to charm him. The interesting thing is he doesn't think she realizes what she's doing. She sidles up to him and makes her move. He grabs her wrist as she goes for the stake sticking out of his back pocket. "Now, now. You don't want to find that sticking out of your shoulder again." She lets her vamp out and snarls at him in frustration. He snarls back at her. Beth backs up and crosses her arms and watches him. Frank shakes his head and laughs. _Damn she's not even remotely afraid._ "You're not ever going to stop, are you?"

Beth shrugs. "Not unless you can give me a good enough reason for what you've done to me."

Frank thinks about it and shrugs. "I can try."

Beth sits on the edge of the bed and folds her arms. "This ought to be good."

"I belong to The Order of Wallachia. It's a group of vampires whose goal is to teach and give guidance to young vampires who possess a higher level of ability than the norm. We've learned sometimes vamps who possess these qualities can become derailed. If they aren't given an extra bit of attention as fledglings can end up doing things that are a danger to everyone."

Beth snorts at him. "So, a little brainwashing is in order, so I play nice."

"Not in your case. You have a good foundation. In your case it would have been primarily helping you to learn how to use the abilities you have. If your sire had been anyone but Josef, we would have taken you a year ago."

Beth scrunches her nose at him. "So, why take me now? Do you expect me to let you get away with taking me from Josef and Mick so you can, teach me? I'd be curious how this tack worked three hundred years ago with Josef."

Frank shakes his head. "Not well, but that's a tale Josef should tell you. We didn't take you to teach you. In your case we did it to protect you. It was decided that not even Josef and Mick could protect you from the threats posed. There are people who have been watching you for a long time and you have to much potential to see it snuffed out."

"Bullshit."

Frank looks at her somewhat surprised. "You don't believe me?"

"Oh, I believe you believe it, but it's still bullshit. You have no idea how sick and tired I am of everyone else deciding what is safe for me and what isn't. I put up with this crap from Josef and Mick because I love them, but I'll be damned if I'll put up with it from outsiders. I refuse to believe there is anything Josef and Mick couldn't protect me from if they were warned ahead of time. This would have been unnecessary if you had picked up the damn phone and told Josef what was going on. That it?"

Frank eye's her warily. "Sorry, for now, that's all I've got. You aren't going to stop trying to get away, are you?"

Beth shrugs. "I can't. It's not what I was taught, it's not who I am. Josef and Mick would be disappointed if I did. I think Josef could probably kill you now. He's going to be unhappy when he finds out you've taken me. I was on my way to move back in with him. It won't take him long to realize something is wrong."

"Well, no one is ever happy to have one of their fledglings taken."

Beth shakes her head and smirks at him. "You don't know…. do you?"

"Know what?" Frank has a feeling he's about to find out something he doesn't want to know.

"Josef loves me very much…" she smiles a deadly smile at him. "Mick loves me very much. They are going to be very unhappy that you've kidnapped me. Mick will be able to see you taking me from the apartment."

Frank nods, "That's why we set it up the way we did. He will see that you were alive and tranquilized and realize we didn't hurt you."

Beth shrugs. "It won't matter."

Beth sits down on the bed and closes her eyes. She has no idea how far away she is from Mick and Josef but she's going to try and connect with them. At least it will give her something to do.

Frank shakes his head and exits the door. He enters Damian's makeshift office. They put this safe house together over the last few weeks in case they had to hide Beth. They can't take her back to the main headquarters. Ramsey would get to her and nobody wants to take a chance of losing her to Ramsey.

Frank calls Damian's cell phone. "How is she today?" Damian asks hopefully.

"Still trying to stake or kill anyone she can get close to. I'm sending Tim and Pete away. She's managed to alienate them by almost killing Pete. They won't be any real help if we're found anyway. Russ and I will stay here and guard her until Josef can do something about Lance and Ramsey." Frank gives a little laugh. "She's never going to stop. That is one very determined vamp, and nobody can go in that room but me. She tried to stake me again today. My hat is off to St. John and Josef. She may not have complete control but she's learning fast. She tried to pull me in just now. She's good at seeming so disarming and sweet." Frank laughs "She has the face of an angle and the temperament of her sire. If I hadn't seen what she'd done to Ben and Howard, I wouldn't believe it. Damian, I hope the plan is to send her back to Josef when it's safe. You will never get her to agree to anything, not even protection. It's been a long time since I've seen someone like her, maybe not since Josef. Although that could be because The Order never got their hands-on St. John, he's as bad. She needs to go back to Josef. You will have to break her to get her co-operation and that defeats the whole purpose."

Damian listens to Frank. "You sure she didn't get in your head?"

"No, she didn't get in my head, but I can certainly respect her tenacity. Oh, and there is one thing you should know. I was informed that Josef loves her, and Mick loves her, and they are going to be very unhappy that she's been kidnapped. So, you better add that into your equation. If Josef is in love with her you may not get two words out before he kills you."

Damian thinks about this for a minute. "This may work to our favor down the road. I need to think about this once we get past the danger. She would progress much faster if she would stay with Josef. Michael has done his part. She can physically defend herself. I'm going to have to think about a way to separate her and Michael.

Frank makes a sour face into the phone. "You've done enough to those two and we won't even talk about what Ramsey did to Josef. Damian for god's sake. If St. John and Beth figure out what you've done to them over the years, you may have to kill him to keep him from killing you. We won't even talk about what Beth or Josef will do in response. All your bullshit could be for nothing if all three of them end up dead and you along with them. You know it's not going to be hard for Josef to put two and two together."

Damian shrugs. "I'll have to play it by ear. Josef won't do any killing until he has her back and he will keep Michael in check. I'm sure of it."

"You better be, because your betting your life on it, and probably St. John's as well." Frank says as he hangs up.

Xxxxx

Josef paces Mick's apartment waiting for him to get in from Vegas. He made all the phone calls he can think of and he's trying to figure out who might have taken Beth. One by one he's crossing old enemies off the list in his head. He thinks for once this isn't about him and his empire. If it were someone after him, they would have used her as a bargaining chip by now. He would not be just now finding out that she's been gone for at least three days, maybe more.

Josef looks up when he hears Mick at the door. Josef shakes his head. "I have called everyone I can think of and I've got everyone on the lookout but no word. Mick, I don't know what this is about, but I don't think it's someone after me."

Mick nods. "I agree and I've been going over my own list of people who have a score to settle and I've come up empty as well. Like you said we'd have heard something by now if they were after either of us. We need to assume it's someone who wants something from Beth. Her only real enemy was Coraline and that bitch has been taken care of, so what else is there?"

Mick crosses the room to the dead vamps and scents the air around them. He sees the fight and how Beth managed to kill the two on the floor. Then he sees the vamp shoot her with the tranquilizing dart. At least she's alive. Mick starts to stand up. The room starts to spin a little and he sees Beth smiling at the strange man who shot her with the tranquillizer gun. They're in a room talking. The scene shifts a little. The man grabs her hand and they run from the room. Mick shakes his head not knowing what he saw.

Mick looks up and Josef is watching him closely. Mick starts to tell Josef what he saw but they both swing around to the door when they sense someone there. "Hello Josef. Now that Michael has returned, we can talk."

Mick watches the two of them stare each other down, neither flinching. The vampire at the door smiles "Very good. I see some things stuck with you."

"Damian if you have Beth, you will not live long enough to regret it. You and your people will have finally gone too far. We will find her. When that happens, you are going to pray to whatever god you pretend to believe in that you never came near her. I will finish what I started long ago."

Damian smiles thinly at him "You wouldn't dare, not again, not now. You have too much to lose."

"Your wrong. If something happens to Beth, I'll have nothing left to lose. You know I don't make idle threats. I will hunt you and every one of your damn people down, you know damn good and well from experience I can and will do it."

Mick growls. "And he won't be alone."

Josef suddenly remembers whose scent that was in the apartment. "Frank must still be doing your dirty work for you. I may not have been able to kill Frank three hundred years ago, but I'd be more than willing to try again now. I've learned a lot over the years. He must be losing his touch. Hell, he couldn't even keep a hundred- and ten-pound fledgling from killing two of his men."

Damian shakes his head. "Josef, I know what happened with Ramsey was…." He trails off and then continues. "But the rest of it, was it so bad? Did we really make you so worse for wear? As I recall you got the better of us in the end."

"This is about Beth, not me. You should have come to her and asked her to allow you to help her. This is not the way. You don't know her. You think I was stubborn. I'll wager you never get any cooperation from her without breaking her and I won't allow that to happen. You might as well kill her."

"Frank told me the same thing about her."

Josef snorts. "Frank is a good judge of character. You should have listened to him three hundred years ago and you should listen to him now. Beth will fight you with everything she has. It's what we taught her mentally and what Mick's taken the last year to teach her physically."

Mick watches Damian carefully. He guesses that this one is older than Josef or Lance. Unlike Lance and Josef, Damian looks like every fortyish man in the street. He has no discernable accent. His clothes are not remarkable, there is nothing to make him stand out from the crowd. Mick can feel the power coming from him. Mick can see he is resolute. This is a vampire that is used to being obeyed, but then so is Josef. All the old ones must be like that.

Mick turns to Josef and growls. "He has Beth?"

Josef holds his hand up to stop Mick "Yes. Do not move. He won't hurt her. Let me deal with him for the moment."

"Very smart Josef. I don't want to have to hurt anyone."

Mick glances at Damian. "Josef, they shot her full of something in a dart. She was unconscious when they left with her."

"Yes, well, the original goal was for no one to be hurt. Josef this isn't about teaching her. This is about protecting her."

Josef snorts. "From who? It never occurred to you to pick up the damn phone?"

"If I thought you could have done it, I would have left it to the two of you. But even you can't protect her from Ramsey and Coraline's brothers."

Josef smiles thinly. "Ramsey is involved in this? That must have been his people who came after Mick earlier."

"Yes, I'm sure your right. He has it in his mind that if he has one of the two of you that he can make Beth co-operate." Damian turns to Mick. "How did you get away from them?"

Mick shrugs. "I didn't. They drove me around and then dumped me back at my car."

"Probably when they learned that we have Beth. They decided they had no use for you. You would be too much trouble if they didn't have her to make you do what they wanted as well. Ramsey is using Coraline's brother's revenge plot as an excuse to try and take Beth. Josef, he's become somewhat fixated on her. You more than anyone, should know why we had to get to her before he did. I had Frank take her to make sure Ramsey didn't get a hold of her and protect her from Lance. Once the threat of the brothers is defused then some of Ramsey's support should fall away. He'll still be dangerous but easier to deal with."

Mick and Josef glance at each other. Damian sees it and wonders what they know that he doesn't. Josef shrugs at Mick. "You tell him."

Mick turns to Damian. "Your information on Lance is incorrect."

Damian looks shocked. "How can that be? We have an informant inside their household."

Mick shrugs. "I don't know about that, but Lance was here a month ago and left telling me if I needed a favor to get in touch with him. I did him a favor while he was here. Hell, he met Beth and said she was enchanting for someone so young."

Damian flips open his phone. "Frank, your informant in Lances household is one of Ramsey's people. There is no plot to take Beth. Lance and Mick came to an amicable agreement. Ramsey set this up to build support to take her."

Frank smiles. "Then there is no reason to keep her. She can go home to Josef. He and St. John can take care of Ramsey."

"No, not yet. There are other things to be discussed now that there is no threat in that quarter."

"Damian, no. I'm warning you; I'm not going to be party to keeping her. I only kidnapped her because I thought it was the only way to keep her safe. You better work this out with Josef in the next couple hours because I'm not keeping her longer than that."

Damian snorts. "You'll do what I tell you."

"Damian, I take your orders because I choose too, not because I have to. Remember that." Frank hangs up.

Josef watches Damian with interest. "Problem with the troops?"

Damian waves a dismissive hand in the air. "Not at all."

Josef can't wipe the smirk off his face. "Bullshit. Frank wants to send her home."

"I know you won't like this. Since we already have her, we might as well do something about her being taught to use her abilities."

Josef slowly shakes his head. "Not going to happen Damian. You know, you're turning out to be no better than Ramsey if you think you can keep her against her will. Speaking of which, he's dead. I'm not going to have Beth living with the worry that Ramsey may try to take her again. The only reason I'm not going after you and Frank is because in your misguided way you were right. The idea of Ramsey getting his hands-on Beth makes me sick. It only stays that was as long as you send her home now."

Xxxxxxx

**Comments always welcome. **

l


	5. Chapter 5

**As much as I wish it. Moonlight doesn't belong to me in any way shape or form. I like to come play in their sandbox.**

Xxxxxxx

Mick gets out of the car and goes up to say good-bye. His steps are slow and hesitant. Is this what he wants? Josef said it himself, if Mick gives her up now; she's gone. Josef will fight for her. Mick smiles sadly. At least if he's losing her to someone else it's someone, he knows will be good to her and love her. He reaches her door and stands there, not wanting to hurt them both again. He hears her through the door telling him to open the door and come in. As usual her curiosity has gotten the best of her. He opens the door and walks in. She gives him a sad smile. "Hey."

Mick walks over and takes both of Beth's hands in his. He smiles sadly. "Beth, I'm sorry. I'll always love you, but right now it's best if you move back to Josef's. We could be friends for a couple of decades and see how it goes."

She smiles at him through the tears. "That's why you didn't fight me on this isn't it? You wanted me to be alive even if it didn't work out so someday it might."

Mick smiles at her, "That, and I can't imagine a world without you in it." He hugs her and looks down at her. "You know, Josef loves you an awful lot."

She snorts at him. "We'll see."

Mick hugs her again "I'm going to leave town for a while. The weather here is starting to get to me. I'll pack up your stuff. Josef can have one of the guys come by and take it to you." He looks down at her. "You know you can always call me if it's an emergency." He leans down and places a gentle kiss on her forehead.

Beth nods. She remembers the excuse he always gave her for staying so long in LA was the weather. When they both knew it was to be there for her. She realizes it is over. He gives her one last hug and leaves. Beth lays down on the couch and curls up in a ball trying to keep from crying herself to sleep again. _Damn men._

Josef gets out of the car as Mick approaches. "How is she?"

"You're right. You need to get her out of that apartment. Not a good place for her to be. We said our good-byes. I told her, and I'll tell you. I'm leaving town for a while. Before I leave, I'll pack her stuff up and call you. Remember Josef, you can always get me on my cell if it's an emergency. No matter what, if either of you needs me, I'll be there."

Josef nods. "Sure. Go ahead and take the Porsche back to the house. That way you can pick up your car and I don't have to have somebody make an extra trip."

"Thanks. I know you'll love her and take good care of her." They shake hands and Mick takes off in the Porsche.

Josef heads upstairs to get Beth out of her apartment. He approaches the door and can hear her crying. This was a bad idea. She should not have come back here. She hasn't been back since she was turned. Now that she's miserable. Back in the last place where she was human, saying good-bye to Mick. She might start to regret her decision and that would be terrible.

He raises his hand to knock on the door and before he can, she swings it open and looks up at him. Before he knows it, she's weeping in his arms. He picks her up, grabs the Ferrari keys off the table and heads for the car. She wraps her arms around his neck and buries her face in his shoulder.

He doesn't want her in that apartment. He should have talked her into getting rid of it when she left her old life behind. He looks down at her as he carries her to the car. He realizes he has spent an inordinate amount of time with her crying in his arms. He opens the door to the car and puts her in and shuts the door. Josef gets in and drives them home.

She's not crying anymore. She's looking out the side window not looking at him or speaking, finally she falls asleep. He pulls into the garage and turns to Jack. He knows it's not fair. Jack wouldn't have known to stop Beth from taking the Ferrari. All the same Josef growls at him as he goes around the car to get Beth. Jack lowers his eyes. He knows he's going to hear about Beth being able to get her hands on the keys. He will be lucky is Josef doesn't skin him alive.

Josef pushes down his anger at the man and opens the passenger's side door and picks Beth up. He carries her inside the house and Robert meets him at the door. "You know I wanted to beat the hell out of Mick for breaking her heart. You keep this up and you'll be next. This is bullshit."

"You're right. It is, and it ends here." Josef looks down as she stirs in his arms. "I'll be right back. As usual of late, she's worn out from crying because of all the idiots around her."

Robert smiles when Josef says that. It sounds like he has come to his senses.

Josef takes her upstairs and puts her on the bed. She curls up as he covers her with a light blanket and goes back downstairs.

Josef finds Robert in the kitchen. "I want you to call a storage company, something close, and rent a couple of big lockers. If she wants something, she won't have to go far to get it. Then I want you to arrange with a moving company to have her stuff in her apartment boxed up and put into storage. I don't want her going back there again. That is not a good idea. There shouldn't be anything in the apartment that can't get packed away. She hasn't been living there for some time. Get someone in to clean out the apartment and do whatever to pay off the lease. I repeat, I don't want her going back there."

Robert shakes his head and turns to do what Josef asked.

Josef knows that look. "Ok, what was that for?"

Robert shrugs. "I agree with you. The apartment needs to go. She should never go back there again. Did you happen to mention to her that you were going to do this or are you still making all her decisions for her?"

Josef shakes his head. "This is too important for me to leave it up to her. I'm making this decision whether she likes it or not, as her sire and her friend. If she starts wishing she was back in her old life then she's going to end up like Mick, and one of those is enough. I won't have her end up like that. When she asked me to sire her, she gave me the power to step in and do what needs to be done. This is detrimental to her. Robert, do it. I'll worry about the fallout later."

Robert turns to the phone to do as Josef asked. Josef opens his phone and calls Jacob. "How are things at the office?"

"Fine. You know this place it can manage on its own. You've got some of the best people and they are loyal."

_More like scared shitless_ Josef thinks.

"Are you going to be gone for a while?" Jacob asks

"Yes," is all the growl he gets. Jacob knows better than to ask Josef anything, but if he had to guess it has to do with Beth. Since she apparently got away with the Ferrari. "You tell everyone they report to you and if you even suspect there is anything I should know, you call me."

"Will do. I'll also email you weekly reports like before."

"Good." Josef can feel her stirring upstairs. "I've got to go."

Josef takes the stairs two at a time. He walks into the bedroom and sees her sitting on the bed with her back to the door. "Go get in the shower. You're a mess." He says to her back. He watches her back stiffen and he smiles. He can almost see her resolve to not do what he says. "Ok, if you are going to act like a spoiled brat then I'm going to start treating you like one." Josef walks across the room, throws her up over his shoulder and kicks the bathroom door open. He reaches into the shower with one hand and turns the cold water on. He sets her down in the middle of it, clothes and all, and turns around and walks out.

A stunned Beth recovers quickly. He hears her growl at him as he walks out of the bathroom. And he sees a wet washcloth sail past his head. He grabs it as it goes by and turns and throws it right back at her. It hits her right across the face. He watches as she grabs it off her face. She glares at him, the anger bubbling up and threatening to overtake her. _Good_, and he walks away.

Beth stands in the shower with all her clothes on wondering what has changed. Clearly Josef is not treating her like he did before she took off. _Oh, that's it. He's mad because I took his precious car._ She smiles to herself and gets out of her wet clothes in the shower and cleans up. When she gets out of the shower and gets dressed Josef is gone. _Good. He thinks so damn much of his car, I'll fix him._

Beth goes down to the garage and looks around. Jack is standing there shaking his head and he looks behind her. She didn't think Josef would be down here waiting for her. Josef looks at Jack. "Jack don't worry about it. I'll take care of this." Jack decides to make himself scarce and hightails it out the side door. Josef looks at Beth. He's got the Ferrari keys dangling between his fingers. "Looking for these?"

She shakes her head. "Actually no." she walks over to the workbench where the tools are laying around. "No, actually I was looking for this." Beth picks up a hammer and heads for the Ferrari, but Josef has prepared himself for about anything. He gets to the car and has her hands in his before she can strike. Beth tries to wiggle free of him but he's not having any of it. "Like I said, you want to act like a spoiled brat, I'll treat you like one." He forces her to drop the hammer.

He throws her over his shoulder, again and marches up the stairs with her. Beth's fangs are showing, and her eyes are turning crystal blue. She's kicking, screaming and running her nails deep into his back, ruining another of his shirts. It hurts like hell, but it doesn't stop Josef for a minute. Even in full vamp she's no match for him.

Robert watches them go and smiles.

Josef opens the bedroom door and sets her down inside. "You can stay up here until you're ready to stop acting like a brat. You've been making everyone who loves you crazy and it stops now. I've babied you for the last time. You start acting like a reasonable adult or you'll stay in here for the rest of your unnatural life. You are not a fledgling anymore, so stop acting like it."

She starts to interrupt him, and he stops her. "There's more. We might as well get it all out at once. As your friend and your sire, I will not permit you to go back to that apartment again."

She looks at him shocked. "What do you mean you won't permit me to go back to that apartment again? I've got news for you; I'll do what I damn well please and not you or anyone else can stop me."

Josef takes a deep breath. "We can do this the easy way and you can hear me out. Or you can fight me every step of the way. I'm telling you right now for your own wellbeing, your own mental health; you are not going back there again. I will tie you to the freezer if I have to."

Beth looks at his eyes and knows he's not kidding, he'd do it. She decides she might as well listen to him. She crosses her arms and stares right back at him.

He watches her and tries to hide a smile. _Good, that fire is still in there somewhere_. Josef tries to stare her down and she doesn't even flinch. _That's my girl._

"Ok Josef, you've got one chance to convince me that there is a good reason."

Josef paces back and forth a couple of times. "You would agree with me that Mick is not a well-adjusted vampire?"

Beth shrugs and then nods. "Yea, but what's that got to do with my apartment?"

"Beth, I should have insisted you get rid of it when you left your old life behind. Sitting in that apartment crying about your new life is not healthy. I'm afraid you're going to regret what you are as much as Mick does and that would be awful. One is enough. I don't think you could survive like Mick does. You're not going to like this, but your stuff is going into a storage locker close by and your lease closed out. I'm sorry, but this is important enough that there is no compromise."

Josef can feel the anger coming off her directed right at him.

Softly he adds. "I love you and I don't want to see you end up hating what you are."

Beth takes a swing at him and comes very close to hitting him.

He dodges her and grabs her wrists and holds her tight. "Please stop."

She collapses against him. "Josef, what are we going to do? I'm not crazy about the way I've been acting either, but every time I think about you or Mick it hurts so bad. I love you both so much. I can't take both of you abandoning me." Josef starts to protest, and she holds up her hand. "I know that's not what you're doing, but that's what it feels like and now your taking away my apartment. It wasn't much, but it was mine."

Josef sighs, well it's now or never. "I want you to think about something. When you were human you thought in terms of Mick being with you 'forever'. To a human that means maybe 60 years, if you're lucky, right?"

Beth nods her agreement.

"But baby, it's not like that anymore." He wraps his arms around her. "I'm going to tell you a truth that you might as well learn right now. There is no such thing as forever to a vampire. I hate to say this, but there are damn few vampire relationships that last forever. Nobody can stand anyone that long." He smiles at her. "I think one relationship at a time is enough. If only because the idea of two male vampires you love, killing each other is painful for all involved. I don't think you have to make any long-term plans with anyone. You have to end one relationship before you start another."

Beth smiles at him a little sadly. "Already did that."

Josef nods at her. "Are you sure that's what you want? I love you, you know that, but I don't want you bouncing back and forth between us. Someone is going to get hurt if you do that. Beth, I've been guilty of not listening to you. I've been so busy protecting you that I haven't listened to you tell me what you need. If you must know, I fell in love protecting you and I never left that place. As for the apartment, you can see I'm still doing it."

Josef shakes his head. "Besides, I thought you wanted to stay here with me? Look if you need a refuge, I'll get you another place, but not that one."

Beth smiles up at him. "I do want to stay with you; that would be very nice."

He smiles back at her.

"But I need something, some place I can go. Josef how long have you lived here?"

He thinks about it. "This house has been here in one form or another for 70 years or so. Why?"

She laughs, "Because you permeate this place. There's no room for me here on a permanent basis. I need a niche, a space of my own, a place to work."

He smiles at her. "I have a very good idea on that very subject, but I need you to trust me. I want to surprise you."

She smiles. "I can do that, but you have to trust me and stop trying to protect me all the time. I think that's half of Mick's problem. He can't adjust to who he is in my life anymore."

Josef smiles. "I'm not Mick." He draws her close. "So, it's all taken care of? You're not going to have two very volatile jealous vampires killing each other over you, right?"

Beth smiles at him. "Yea, and I kept a friend to boot."

Josef let out a small sigh. "Good." Josef backs away from her; he takes her hands and looks at her. "I love you so much." Josef brings her hand up to his lips and kisses her palm. "I want you; I want to make love to you." He brings her close and kisses her. Their tongues tasting, touching and exploring each other. Josef breaks the kiss. "You know, this is going to be different now."

Beth looks at him not quite understanding what he is trying to tell her. "Different how?"

Josef mentally slaps Mick upside the head. This discussion should have happened a couple months ago. "Well, you'll admit that you're different since the last time you and Mick made love, right?"

"Oh, you mean because I'm a vampire now." She doesn't want to talk about her relationship with Mick, with Josef.

Josef swears he can read her mind. Finally, he's getting less confusion from her. "Come here." He takes her hand, and they go sit on the couch. Beth snuggles into his arms. "I don't ever want you to have to second guess what you want or need to say to me." He smiles down at her. "I'm four hundred years old. I'm not going to get mad because you need to say something about Mick and the time you spent together." Josef leans in and kisses and nips at her neck. Beth lets out a small moan. _Mmmm that feels good._

Beth smiles. "I was thinking that I know what to expect; I've been with a vampire."

Josef shakes his head a little. "It's not the same. You understand the mechanics from Mick's point of view, meaning that you know about biting. You don't know about it from your perspective. You remember when Mick was always telling you that it was dangerous, and he was afraid he would hurt you?"

She nods.

"Well, there are reasons for that, and I want you to understand. Your sensory abilities are far better than they were before. Every new experience good or bad is going to be better or worse than it would have been when you were human. You know how much better all your senses are now. You see more, you hear more, and your sense of touch and being touched is far more sensitive." To punctuate his point, he nips at her collarbone and hears her moan. He taps her on the nose and smiles at her. "It's also one of the reasons you're a bit more volatile than you use to be."

Beth smiles devilishly at him. "What you're telling me is, that besides the biting, it's going to be even better than it was when I was human."

He smirks at her. "That goes without saying. What I'm trying to tell you is that at first, until you get use to the sensory overload, it's going to be easy to get lost in the whole experience and lose control."

Beth looks a little frightened and Josef starts to kick himself. "Look, I don't want you scared, there's no reason." I want you to understand that vampires are predators. We're very physical, and sometimes it's a good thing that we heal so fast. So, if that part of you takes over its expected and don't worry. Its why Mick was afraid he might hurt you when you were human."

She looks at him questioningly "You don't think I could hurt you, right?"

Josef smiles. "No, baby, I don't think you can hurt me."

He leans into her and kisses her. A small moan escapes from her and he lets out a possessive growl. Her hands are running across his chest and soon it's a mass of arms touching here, feeling there. He's cupping her ass, holding her as close as he can in this position. He moans and slides down the couch so she's laying on top of him never breaking the kiss, tasting, teasing of things to come. Finally, they break the kiss he looks into her beautiful blue eyes. She smiles at him. She can feel him pressing against her in all the right places. She giggles. "You really do want me."

**Xxxxxxx**

**Comments are always welcome. **


	6. Chapter 6

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Damian opens his phone and punches up a number for the safe house. He listens to it ring. He looks at the phone like he doesn't recognize it in his hand. Josef and Mick look at each other. Josef scowls. "Damian?"

"There's no answer." He stammers. "Josef, I just spoke to Frank... how can there be no answer…? There is only one reason there would be no answer… it can't be."

"Shit Damian. If you have lost her to Ramsey, you're dead. Where was she? Where were you holding her?"

Damian takes a deep breath. "It doesn't mean they have her, it just means they tried to take her. Remember, Frank's been babysitting her. If anyone can get her to safety, it's Frank. We had her in a safe house in New York. Let me try Frank's cell phone."

Mick breaks in. "She's gone…. he took her out of the room…. they ran… I don't know if they got away, but they tried."

Josef eyes Mick. "That's what you saw when you thought you saw the future?"

Mick nods. "I think so."

Josef takes a deep breath. "I hope you're right and Frank got her out."

Damian punches up the number and hears it ring. He hears it go over to Frank's voice mail. Damian hangs up and shakes his head sadly at the two men.

Josef flips open his phone and starts making calls. "Get my plane ready for immediate take off to New York. I'll be there right away. Have bottled provisions on the plane. Enough for three for several days and whatever the flight crew needs."

Mick pulls his machete out of the dead vamp on the floor. He points it and Damian. "If anything happens to her, I don't care if you kill me or not. I will burry this in you first."

Mick turns to Josef. "I can arrange for weapons in New York. I know a guy."

Josef nods "Yea, me too." and continues using his phone.

Damian sits down heavily. He swore to himself that this wouldn't happen. Ramsey can't have Beth. Damian hears someone talking to him and looks up at a very pissed off Mick. "Start thinking and then start writing. I want to know every place in New York or anywhere else Ramsey has connections. I want to know every place where he might find refuge or hide Beth. I want every single scrap of information you have on him. You're going to New York with us and you're going to tell us everything you can think of along the way. If anything happens to Beth, you and your Order are never going to know what hit them."

Damian wants to point out that Ramsey has been around for a millennium. He couldn't possibly know every place Ramsey has contacts. Damian looks at the faces of the two vampires and decides that doing as Mick says is the smart thing at this point.

Mick grabs Damian under the arm and the three men head for the door.

Josef starts the engine. Mick stuffs Damian in the back of the BMW, and they are moving before Mick has the door closed.

Mick punches up Victoria's number. "Hey, there are two dead vamps in my apartment. I need to leave town for an emergency. Can you get my extra key from Robert and go clean the place up? I don't know how long I'll be gone, and I don't want dead vamps in there stinking up the place."

Victoria makes a rude sound. "Can't I drop by Josef's office and get one from him?"

"'Fraid not. He's with me. Come on Victoria. I know it's a pain going out to Josef's but it's the only way you can get in without messing up the door."

"Alright but you owe me one."

"You bet. Name it."

"When Beth goes back to live with Josef you have to take me out for a drink."

"You sure?"

Victoria laughs. "Yea Mick, I'm sure. Don't worry you're safe. I know the score."

He shrugs and glances at Josef. "Ok, I'll call you." And he hangs up.

Josef glances at him questioningly and Mick shrugs his shoulders at him.

After a very wild ride to the airport they immediately board the plane.

Once they are in the air Josef, who has been very quiet turns to Damian. Josef glances at Mick and watches him pace. Josef turns back to Damian. "If I were you, I would do as Mick suggested and I would do it now. Damian, we need any information you have on Ramsey. I know you won't have all the answers, but we need everything you can come up with. You know, Damian, I didn't think Mick could kill you on his own, but something tells me I was wrong. He has enough adrenaline going for both of us. I haven't seen him this wired out since he threw Denton through the front window."

Damian eyes Josef. "You seem calm enough."

Josef snorts at him. "I'm far better at containing the anger but don't mistake my calm. Damian, I swear to you, if she's hurt, I won't stop Mick next time and I'll make sure to help him, if he indeed needs it to kill you."

They glance at Mick pacing the cabin. He shows Damian his fangs and lets out a deadly growl. "Do it. Now!" Mick goes back to pacing, trying to keep from killing their only source of information.

Xxxxxxx

Frank stops at the all-night gas station and fills up the tank on the Ferrari. He reaches for his phone and realizes it's gone. _Shit_. Luckily the gas station still has a payphone. He gets back in the car and turns to Beth. "Do you know the phone number for Josef's tech guy, off the top of your head?"

"Ryder? Of course. Why?"

Frank smiles sadly. "Because the shit hit the fan and I lost my phone. There is no way that they should have been able to find us. There is a leak, so I want a clean line of communication to Josef. Ryder is the answer to that problem."

Beth nods and gives him Ryder's number.

Frank opens the door to the phone booth and is glad to see the lights busted so they stay in the dark.

Ryder looks at the phone and frowns when he doesn't recognize the number. Nobody is supposed to have this number. He almost doesn't answer but working for Josef, you never know. "Yea?"

"You don't know me, but a blond gave me your number." Frank waits a second for that to sink in and continues. "Josef is going to want to talk to me on a secure line as fast as you can make it happen. You must assume that all his lines are tapped. Tell him I'm repaying a two-hundred-year-old debt. Set it up. I'll call back as soon as I can."

"No problem. Give me fifteen minutes." Ryder answers.

He hangs up and hopes Ryder is as smart as he's supposed to be. Frank gets back in the Ferrari with Beth and decides he doesn't like being hemmed in. He turns to Beth. "How would you like to go to Canada?"

"Canada? No. I want to go home. You get Mick and Josef on the phone. I'm going home."

Frank shakes his head. "We'll see what Josef and Mick have to say. If it comes to that, if we have to get you over the boarder do you think you can use that empathic ability of yours to do it?"

She looks at him questioningly. "You mean vamp appeal?"

Frank shakes his head. _Dammit Josef._ "Whatever you want to call it. If I take us to the border can you charm our way across?"

"But…. I don't have any papers."

"Yea, I know, that's why I'm asking if you can get them to let us cross without question."

Beth takes a deep breath. "Maybe…. I've used it on humans a few times without much trouble. Any idea how many we are talking about and if they are men or women." She smiles. "Men are easier."

He laughs. "I'll bet. I have no idea. I would guess if we cross late at night it should be a skeleton crew and hopefully male but no guarantee."

Beth shrugs. "All I can do is try, but I'm not going to Canada, so it doesn't matter."

Xxxxxx

Josef looks down at his phone and flips it open. "Ryder, this better be good. I'm trying to keep this line open."

"Josef, I got a call from a friend who said he was repaying a two-hundred-year-old debt."

"Ryder stop a minute. Don't talk so fast. I need to put you on speaker." Josef plugs in his phone and motions for Mick "Ok, slowly tell me the whole thing."

Ryder takes a deep breath. "I got a call from a man saying that a blond gave him my number and he knew you would want to talk to him on a secure line. He said for me to set it up and he would call back as soon as he could. He said he was repaying a two-hundred-year-old debt."

Josef smiles at Mick and relaxes a little. "Ryder, I don't need to tell you, put him through to me as soon as he calls back. No matter what."

"No problem. Uh boss, he also said that you should assume that all your phones are tapped."

"See what you can do about that as well and you better block the GPS signal on my phone and Mick's." Josef turns to Damian. "Give him your number. I want yours secured and something done about the GPS on it as well."

Josef has an idea. "Damian do you know Ramsey and his crews phone numbers and anyone else who might be involved in this?"

Damian nods "Most of them."

"Ryder, Damian is going to give you some numbers I don't know if you can do it but try and tap them. If you're able record every conversation that comes across. If all this is too much, get Logan in to help. If you do that, you put him in a closed off office of his own and tell him he needs to stay until it's over. His place isn't secure, and I have a bad feeling about this. Be sure and give him his own space." Josef turns to Damian. "Tell him."

Damian nods and starts giving Ryder phone numbers. Glad to be doing something that might be useful.

Josef smiles at Mick. "She's safe. Frank has her."

Mick takes a deep breath. "You sure she's safe with him?"

"Yes. Two hundred years ago. I could have walked away, but I saved Franks ass from something up north that was trying it's best to rip his throat out. Anyway, he owes me, and I've let it sit all these years. That and he's in love with Vanessa and he will not let anything happen to Beth for that reason alone."

Mick raises and eyebrow at Josef. "You need to fill me in on her. She hasn't even met Beth, has she?"

Josef waves a hand in the air. "That doesn't matter, Beth and you are family. She's been after me to bring the two of you to New York for a while now. She knows when I'm ready; I'll bring you both to see her. If I know Frank, he will stay on the move and he's thinking about leaving the country. He may head for Canada." Josef turns to Damian. "Something besides Ramsey has him spooked if he thinks all my phones are tapped. Damian, who or what exactly is after Beth besides Ramsey?"

Damian looks down at his hands. "Richard. It must be. I thought I could trust him but apparently not. He was the only one besides Frank and other men from Frank's handpicked crew that knew where she was."

"Shit. Why would Richard want to hurt Beth? He's never bothered me or my people before?"

Damian takes a deep breath. "My guess is because now he's afraid of you or should say the three of you."

Mick stops and Lances words come back to him. "Josef, who is Richard?"

"He's the head of the council."

"Josef, I have to tell you something. When Lance was leaving my place, he said for me to make sure to keep Beth safe. He said others would want to use her for their own agenda." Mick shakes his head. "He also said someday the three of us would be powerful enough to challenge the power structure in this country. That there would be people who would want to stop that before it could ever happen."

Damian nods. "Lance always was smarter than the rest of us when it came to internal politics of the community. Of course, he's had to deal with it more. They are continually fighting amongst themselves in Europe."

Josef leans back in his chair and pinches the bridge of his nose. "This is not good. I don't understand this. If this was coming Vanessa would…."

Damian continues Josef's thought. "Lady Vanessa would protect you and yours. That is exactly why Richard is going through Ramsey and not doing this overtly. He is afraid if what he is doing is known it will split the council. Last time she defended you she made them think outside their fiefdoms. She showed them that if it could happen to you, all their progeny could be at risk. It's how she managed to stop Ramsey last time. This is no different. She will make the other members see that Richard could go after one of them or their people and there will be a revolt."

Mick sighs. "Ok, I get that Richard is head of the council. I take it that Lady Vanessa is your sire?"

Josef looks at Mick with a small smile "Yes, she is my sire and she always been somewhat fond of me."

Damian snorts. "You've always been her favorite. You can go to her, but she is going to need proof that Richard is involved before she can open it up to the rest of the council."

Josef looks down at his phone and sees Ryder is calling back. He plugs the phone back in for the speaker. "Ryder?"

"Josef I'm going to patch your party in. First, though, I need to tell you that all your lines are secure. Don't worry about making phone calls and the GPS's are all turned off. Logan is on his way over to hack the phone numbers you gave me. Josef, he's a slob."

Mick smiles and nods, "That he is. I'm guessing that's why Josef told you to give him his own space."

Josef nods. "Tell Logan if he doesn't keep his mess contained, I'm going to be pissed when I get back."

Ryder laughs. "Here's your friend."

"Frank?"

"Yes, Josef. I'm here. Josef, am I on speaker?"

"Yes."

"Who's with you?"

"Mick, me and Damian. Frank, you're starting to sound like me."

Frank laughs. "Remember who taught you that paranoia keeps you among the living…. so, to speak."

Josef nods. "True enough."

"Josef, it's not that I don't trust you, I do. It's that there is a leak somewhere. There is no way that Ramsey should have been able to know where we were holding Beth. I can vouch for my three men so there is only one other person that it could be."

Josef looks at Damian in disgust. "Yes, we've determined who he spoke to that he shouldn't have."

"It's Richard isn't it?"

"Most likely, but we're going to need proof. Now that we have clean phone lines, I'm going to contact Vanessa. She may be able to shed some light on this mess."

"Good idea. Say hi for me."

Josef scowls at the phone.

"Josef I'm thinking of heading for the place you and I last laid eyes on each other. You remember where that is?"

"Of course, but Beth will never go for it. I think it's better if you meet us at my office in Manhattan. Mick and I'll take her out to Vanessa's with us and then decide what to do from there. We're still a few hours out of La Guardia so stay low until then and meet us at the office at say three."

"Ok, if you're sure, but she's going to need to feed before that. Every place I know in this area is rather public. Do you have any connections that can stay quiet?"

"Of course. I do. Let me give you an address. I'll call ahead so she's ready for you. Frank you might be right. I'll tell you what, how about a contingency plan? If it turns out, we have to go that route what are you going to need?"

"Let's see, she has no papers, but if she can charm us across the border. Once we cross, I'm going to need some weapons and provisions for the road. A different set of wheels would be nice; something with four-wheel drive and local plates. A couple of secure cell phones, some gas money, a set of papers for Beth that says she has dual citizenship would be nice. You might want to give her an alias, something generic. I think she just became my kid sister leaving a bad marriage in the states."

"Ok, I'll set it up just in case. Also, if you need to go, cross at the Falls and I'll make sure that you get waved through with no questions. The stuff you want will be waiting for you in Toronto."

"Josef, before I forget, if you run across Bishop, don't kill him."

Mick and Damian watch as Josef growls and his eyes start to glow. "Why not?"

"He's my contact inside Ramsey's circle. He's been helping me for years, including helping get you back. He was the one that gave me the heads up that Ramsey was going to try for Beth so we could get to her first."

Josef glances at Damian who is clearly surprised

"And Damian if you tell anyone, no matter how much you think you can trust them, I'll kill you." Frank growls through the phone.

Josef shakes his head. "You're asking a lot. He chained me to that wall in Ramsey's playroom."

"I know Josef, but he also risked his neck to make sure you stayed alive until we could get you back. I'll tell it all to you when we meet again. Please, don't reward his risking his life by killing him."

"Alright, until you and I discuss it, he gets a reprieve."

"One more thing Josef, I have this blond staring at me. She's tapping her foot and staring daggers at me. You think you and Mick would like to talk to her?"

"Yes." Josef growls.

Frank smiles as he hands the phone to Beth. "Josef, Mick?"

"Yes," they answer in unison. She laughs into the phone. Damian watches them and smiles. Very interesting dynamic, they have.

"I want to come home. Other than shooting me with a tranquillizer gun and staking me, Frank is ok. He got me out of that place before the bad guys could get to me, but I want to come home."

He's going to keep you under wraps until we can get to New York. We're a few hours out still. We'll meet you at my office in Manhattan at around three."

"I can't wait to see you both. I've missed you so much. Can I talk to you both off speaker?"

Josef smiles. "Sure, give me a minute and you can talk to Mick and then me." Josef disconnects the phone and hands it to Mick who walks across the cabin.

Josef looks at the smile on Damian's face. "What?"

"Maybe what I set in motion so long ago wasn't such a bad thing after all."

Josef shrugs. "Just don't say that to Mick. He's not ready to look at it in that light yet."

Damian nods.

Josef watches Mick pace as he talks to Beth. Josef turns to Damian. "Look, I know that Ramsey has been around forever, and you can't possibly know all his haunts, but Mick is right. If you can write down the things you can think of, the things you think might be important, it might help."

Damian watches Mick. "He needs to stay busy, doesn't he?"

"Yes. He'll be much better now that we know Beth is in good hands, but Mick likes to be doing something. Even stakeouts are fine because he's doing something. Questioning you will help pass the time and who knows between the two of you, you may turn something over. Mick has a good mind for this crap. It's why he makes a good P.I."

Damian picks up the tablet and pen off the table and begins to write. Mick walks over and hands the phone to Josef, who wonders off to talk to Beth.

Josef finishes his call with Beth and asks her if he can talk to Frank.

Josef lets out a sigh. "Frank listen to me a minute. If this doesn't work out the way I want and I don't make it, I won't be able to protect them anymore. Robert has full sets of papers for them. They are going to have to disappear. The I.D.s are set up so they can be used together or separately. If that happens, convince them to fight another day and get them out of the country. Robert will start liquidating everything I own. It will go into separate trusts for Beth, Mick, himself and my girls."

Frank shakes his head. "Don't worry, I'll do it but you're not going to need me. Josef if you and St. John don't make it, you might as well kill her. You two have got to figure this out and stay alive. Ramsey is old but he's not like you, Mick or me. He tortures people chained to walls. He doesn't do his own fighting, hasn't in decades. If you can isolate him, from his guards you can take him." Frank laughs. "How many times have you had to stop Mick from trying to kill Damian?"

"Thanks for the tip on Ramsey. So far only once but that's only because he thinks Damian might have some useful information. Mick is slowly coming to the realization that as lousy as what Damian did to Beth is, in the long run it still gave us Beth. Once he gets to that point, the urge to kill Damian should abate. Then all we need to do is tell Beth and hope like hell she doesn't hunt him down and try and kill him. Frank can you think of anything that will help with any of this?"

"If you can find a way to contact Bishop without blowing his cover, he could help you with Ramsey a great deal. As for Richard, I don't know. That's Vanessa's end of things not mine."

"You miss her, don't you?"

Josef hears Frank sigh. "Your mother is very difficult to forget. Yes, I miss her, always will."

Frank hangs up and turns back to the car and sees Beth has fallen asleep in the car. Just as well, now he can go to the address that Josef gave him and wake her to eat.

Josef spends the next several hours on the phone arranging for their backup plan. Josef's lawyer for his Canadian branch of the company puts it all together. All he needs to do is wait to hear back from Josef where to deliver it. Josef also calls the border at The Falls and makes sure that they get waved through without incident.

Xxxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **


	7. Chapter 7

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

Xxxxxxxxx

Damian snaps his phone shut. He smiles to himself. That was a very satisfying conversation with one of Ramsey's primary supporters. Damian explained the lies Ramsey is telling to get the man's support in taking Josef's fledgling. To say he was not happy is an understatement. Ramsey should know you don't lie to powerful people in high positions. He is confident that any protection that is being afforded Ramsey has been severed. He smiles and goes back over his notes trying to remember anything else that can be added to find Ramsey. Mick has been questioning him about the things he's written for the last couple of hours.

Damian looks at Mick. "I need to take a break. Where do I find the refrigerator?"

Mick sighs and admits he could use a break as well. He points to the cupboard where the refrigerator is hidden. Damian walks across to and pours them both a glass. He hands one to Mick who looks at it and is wondering if it's doctored. Damian snorts at him. "Now what would be the advantage to you knocked out with Josef two steps away? He would kill me in a heartbeat. Drink up."

Mick nods. "You have a point."

Josef crosses the room and sits down with a glass of his own. He eyes Damian. Having him here is like walking in a minefield. You know something is going to go off, you don't know when.

Damian smiles to himself. "Tell me about Beth, is she learning at all?"

Mick smiles when he thinks of Beth, but glowers when he remembers who's asking. "I'm not sure why any of this is your business. You've done enough to me and Beth."

Mick glances at Josef who shrugs. "It doesn't matter. No matter what, she stays with us."

Mick nods in agreement. "It's fun to watch and feel the things she can do. We don't have to be with her to know if she's ok or not."

"Which is why I should have known that Frank had her." Josef growls.

Damian nods. "The drugs may have interfered with that."

Josef wonders where this line of questioning is going. He decides he better warn Damian again. "Damian no matter what you are not keeping her."

Damian waves his hand. "Yes, I know. It's a shame but I will let you take care of that. Is that all you have noticed."

Mick shakes his head. "No. She has done more."

Josef looks at him questioningly. "What do you mean more?"

"I never thought about it again until just now. When we first found Coraline she was goading me, trying to get me to rush her so I would fall into her trap. Beth concentrated and helped me get rid of the anger. When Coraline staked me, before I passed out, I knew that Beth had gotten the pain with me. Like she did when you were in the dessert."

Josef nods for him to continue.

"Well, when I woke up, she had disconnected herself from the pain but not me. She was able to hold the pain off so she could go for help. Then later, Elaina had offered her blood up so I could heal. Josef, I was afraid. I was in bad shape and I didn't want to drain her. Beth felt that from me and reached out and helped me keep the bloodlust at bay so I wouldn't hurt Elaina."

Damian and Josef smile. "Your right Josef, she is learning. Mick she was actually able to alter your feelings?"

Josef sees the frown cross Mick's face. _Dammit Damian._

Mick looks at Damian and hesitates. "I suppose, she was able to help me get rid of the anger and bloodlust."

Josef turns to Damian. "I told you she's getting better but you have to let her do this at her own pace, not yours."

xxxxxx

Bishop stands in front of the panel in Damian's office at the safe house. Ramsey is fuming behind him. Bishop turns to him. "We've searched every inch of this place. This is where she went. This house was set up just for her, so if something like this happened, they would have a chance to get her out. There was a Ferrari waiting in the garage below. There was no way we could have known. Once they got her to this door, well, it's built so we couldn't break it down and it wouldn't open without a key card. Whoever set this up thought of everything. They weren't taking any chances."

Ramsey snarls and turns to Bishop. "Did anyone see who was driving?"

Bishop shakes his head. "No, they were taken completely by surprise. There were only two men still outside and they were both chasing down whoever it was that went out the window. They said it was a man and that's all they know, the girl had to be in the car."

"Did they catch the person that went out the window?"

"No. He clearly knows the area well. He melted away and there was no scent of him to follow."

Ramsey paces. "Well, I know who got her out. You and I both now the scent in this room belongs to Frank."

Bishop nods. "Yes, I'd say Frank was the one driving the car."

"Well, you find a way to trap Frank and the girl. I want her and soon."

Bishop snorts. "Damian if I were you, I would get off your obsession with Josef's fledgling. If I know Frank, he is making a beeline for Josef. Also, they must know that your lies about Coraline's brothers. If Damian manages to tell your supporters you lied about that, you're going to be on more than one hit list. We both know that without that support any number of vamps out there will be more than willing to take care of you. Lots of vamps would love to have Josef owe them one." _Including me "Y_ou better find a place to hold up until some of this blows over. Josef has probably put a bounty on your head already, mine as well. I'm not sure there is anyone besides me you can trust. I tried to warn you about getting involved with Josef again."

Ramsey's eyes shift the room nervously and Bishop knows he has him. "If you can think of an isolated place you can hold up, I'll take you there and then I'm disappearing."

Ramsey nods. "I know a place. I'll send my guards away and we'll go there."

Xxxxxxxx

Richard hands the list to his assistant. "I want the people on this list dead, all of them."

The assistant looks the list over doesn't even try to hide his surprise. "But... but… Why?"

Richard growls at the man. "I don't have to justify anything to you. I'm head of the damn council. Take care of it. Now. Check in with my security forces. They are watching some of the places they might go."

The assistant leaves the office and dose as he told. He doesn't like this one bit. He knows that no one on this list has done anything to endanger the community. He does as Richard says and then leaves the building for home. When he gets to a secluded place he pulls over and makes a call. When the call rolls over to voice mail, he leaves a message without identifying himself. He hopes he's not too late with the warning.

Xxxxxxxx

Josef looks up as the co-pilot comes through to the cabin. "Mr. Kostan we are about a half hour out of La Guardia. Thought you'd like to know, sir."

"Thank you." The man turns and leaves.

Josef watches Mick and sighs. Leaving Mick to deal with Damian may not have been the best thing to do. Mick is clearly upset. Josef realizes that so much of what was done to Beth since she as a child impacts Mick very much. Add in Damian's manipulation and Mick could be back to in a very dark place. Well, it's just going to have to wait.

Josef decides it's time to head this conversation in a different direction. "I've got a BMW waiting for us. We'll meet Frank and Beth at my office and then head for Long Island. Damian, If I were you, I would stay here. You're not exactly one of Vanessa's favorite people. Continue to work on leads. I want Ramsey found. I want him dead."

Damian nods. "Yes, she still blames me in part for what happened to you. I don't think I want to be there when she finds out Ramsey hunting Beth and Frank kidnapping her at my request."

"Damian, what's the deal with Vanessa and Frank? I thought they were happy."

Damian shrugs. "Frank won't say. You know he stopped working for me for several years and they were happy, but Frank doesn't stay idle very well. So, he came back, and they split up again. Uh, Josef, did you explain to Mick about your somewhat odd relationship with Lady Vanessa?"

Mick raises an eyebrow at Josef as he watches Josef shake his head and sighs. "No." Josef turns to Mick. "Vanessa is eccentric, even for a vampire. First off, she's old and I mean older than Ramsey and Damian. She worships the Greek goddess Hera. Hell, sometimes I think she was the Greek goddess Hera."

Mick starts to interrupt, and Josef holds up his hand. "There's more. To keep from going crazy, about once a year she picks a new time and place in history and recreates her life, for a year. One time I go to visit and she's speaking ancient Japanese and its feudal Japan, the next something else. She says it helps keeps things interesting and her mind sharp learning all those new things." Josef smirks. "Although I notice that the roll of woman in her scenarios is somewhat different than it actually was. I don't think there were many female samurai, but I could be wrong."

Mick watches Josef smile fondly as he continues to tell him about Vanessa. Mick has a pang of jealousy. He wishes he had a relationship with Coraline that he could remember fondly. He listens as Josef continues. "So, when we go to see her, don't think it odd if she's dressed as a pioneer from the American southwest or an Eskimo."

The next bit is even odder, at least for a vampire. "The family thing. If Vanessa had stayed human, she would have died in childbirth, I'm sure of it. She would have popped out rug rats until one of them killed her. She's very maternal and becoming a vampire didn't change that much. Since she's a vampire she treats all her turns as her children. I mean literally, like a human mother. She treats me just as my human mother did four hundred years ago. Consequently, I have a couple dozen sisters."

Damian smiles. "But no brothers."

Josef smirks. "Yes, well she believes there are too many male vampires. She says we keep screwing things up so other than me she doesn't turn males."

Mick can't help himself. "Why you?"

Josef shakes his head. "Because she couldn't read my mind. Vanessa is a powerful telepath and I'm the only person she's ever met that she couldn't read when she wanted to. I can open to her and she can read me, but I have to allow it. She says destiny whispered to her that I was needed. I think I made her nervous and she wanted me on her side of the human/vampire line. So, she explained the life to me and asked me if it was what I wanted. I jumped at the chance and I have never looked back. As a sire, she's amazing. She's very powerful but unless provoked you'd never know it. She was head of the council for many years."

"Why did she step down?"

Josef shrugs. "I don't know. She would never tell me."

Damian hides his surprise.

Mick thinks about the way that Josef treats the women in his life and smiles. "It explains a lot about you."

"Don't you start." He growls.

"Josef, you misunderstand. It was a compliment. Even the party girls get your respect. I'm guessing its Lady Vanessa's influence. It will be interesting to meet her."

"Actually, she's been wanting to meet you for some time."

"Me?"

"Yes, I think she's curious that you managed to turn out so well, considering Coraline. They hated each other with a white-hot passion."

Mick smiles, "I knew she was a good woman. Has she met Beth?"

Josef laughs. "No. This will be a first. One of either of those two is enough at one time. I'm quite sure they will like each other very much and drive me crazy. To answer your next question, I have no idea if she knows about our living arrangements. I would not be surprised if she does. She tends to check up on me when she doesn't hear from me for too long."

Xxxxxxxxxx

As they ride along in the black BMW Josef glances at an all too quiet Mick. "Listen to me. Do not think too much about the things that Damian has said and done."

Mick sighs. "Josef so much of what they did to us. If Beth, if she can…" Mick shrugs. "I need some time to digest it all."

Josef nods and knows that Mick is going to need watching.

Josef pulls the black BMW up in front of his office. He doesn't see any sign of the black Ferrari that Frank is driving. Josef looks across at Mick. "I want to go up to my office but not until Franks shows up with Beth. The three of us stay together at all times until we get to Vanessa's."

Mick nods. "Sounds like a good idea. Over there, I see a black Ferrari coming."

They get out of the car and Frank pulls up. Before he can come to full stop Beth is out the door and running to them. She gets to Mick first and he hugs her tight. Beth stops and stands back from him looking at him, trying to read his emotions. "What's wrong?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing immediate. We'll talk about it later."

She eyes him warily and then nods. She sees Josef standing on the other side of the car and runs to him. He pulls her into his arms.

Frank parks the car and gets out. Mick studies Frank closely. "Josef, it's him. I did see them."

Josef nods

Frank watches them with interest. "Josef?"

Josef lets go of Beth and looks across at Frank. "Frank thanks. Mick is starting to see the future. He saw you grab Beth and escape when Ramsey showed up."

Beth smiles. "Wow"

Mick takes a step towards Frank and sticks his hand out. "Yes, and thanks for keeping her safe."

Frank shakes Mick's hand. "Listen. It's not over. You know that. I'm going to home to hit my freezer and then start hunting Ramsey. If I find anything out, I'll let you know."

Josef nods. "Frank, be careful."

Frank nods and gets back in the Ferrari and drives away.

Josef turns to Mick and Beth. "Come on let's get off the street and go upstairs."

Beth grabs Josef's arm. "Wait." He stops and looks at her and she pulls him into a deep kiss. Josef breaks the kiss and smiles down at her. She turns to Mick. "Come here. God, I've missed you two so much." She kisses him and again feels him pulling away from her emotionally. Mick looks at her and sees the pain in her eyes. He kisses her on the forehead. "Come on." He says softly.

Josef unlocks the door and they enter the building. Mick glances at Josef. "You know, I've never known you to have a high rise without twenty-four-hour security."

Josef nods. "You're right. Something is wrong. There should be at least two guards here." Josef glances at Beth. "Stay right with us. Don't wander off."

Beth nods as they move through the lobby of the building. Mick shrugs. "Josef I'm not sensing anyone, vamp, human, alive or dead, at least not down here"

Josef nods. "Maybe it's a mix up. I'll contact my people in the morning."

They cross to Josef's private elevator. He puts the key in the lock, and they ride the elevator up to his private office suite. Mick and Josef stand slightly behind Beth. As they get closer to the top floor, they glance at each other to confirm their suspicions. When they get close to the top, Josef moves Beth into the circle of his arms in the back of the elevator. He's trying to distract her. Beth relaxes against him, not realizing something is wrong. Josef kisses the top of her head. "Stay here a minute so we can make sure it's safe." Beth nods and watches them exit the elevator. As Josef leaves, he hits the door button. Before she realizes it, the doors close, effectively sealing her inside. Josef takes his key and puts in the outside lock and snaps it off. Mick looks at him. "She's going to be pissed."

"Yea, but she'll be alive and that's what matters."

Mick snorts. "She would never let me get away with stuff like that."

Josef smiles. "You're not her sire. She puts up with more crap from me because she expects me to be more of a pain in the ass. She figures it runs in the family."

Josef lightly moves to his desk. He opens the bottom drawer and pulls out two automatics, and a couple spare clips. He tosses one set to Mick.

Mick looks in the clip and sees silver rounds. He looks at Josef and smiles. Josef shrugs. "Better safe than sorry."

They move silently towards the outside offices. Josef holds up five fingers and Mick nods.

Beth hears the roars of vampires in the throes of battle. Then she hears several shots. She continues to pound on the doors but realizes that no one is going to hear her over the fight. She looks up and sees the trap door in the ceiling. She jumps straight up and knocks the door away and then jumps again through the emergency exit. Standing on top of the elevator car she looks around and sees the doors for the next floor up. She jumps up to it and lightly lands on the ledge of the door. It's tight but she holds on looking for a way to open the doors. She spots and emergency switch and pulls the lever. The doors slide open and she exits to the floor above the fight. She realizes it's not a floor so much as a maintenance area. She looks for a way out and sees the emergency stairwell and hits the door running. When she gets to the next floor down, she breaks the lock and the door swings open. It's very quiet. She reaches out to Mick and Josef and the double dose of pain brings her to her knees. After a few minutes of concentration, she manages to disconnect from the pain. Quietly she moves as quickly as she can to the offices where she left them. She enters the office and there is blood everywhere. Beth sees Mick first and runs to him. He doesn't move and for an instant she scarred that he will be gone forever. Then she realizes that he has lost a lot of blood, but his injuries are not fatal, but he doesn't seem to be healing. She hears a moan coming from behind Josef's desk and finds him in the same shape. He's barley conscience. "Call, Frank, Now." And he passes out.

Xxxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Beth starts to cry as she reaches into Josef's pocket and comes out with his phone. She finds Frank's number and punches it up. Beth hopes he did go home.

Frank hears his phone. Normally he would ignore it but with so much going on he doesn't dare. He hopes it's Vanessa calling to talk about what, by now, Josef and his friends have told her. "Hello?"

All he can hear is a woman crying on the other end of the phone. It takes him a minute to figure out through the fog of sleep that it's Beth. "Beth, stop it. Talk to me. Tell me what's happened."

The tone of his voice gives her something to focus on. "Josef and Mick… both hurt bad…"

More crying. "The pain… they are in so much pain…"

"Dammit Beth! Where are you?"

"Still at Josef's office." She chokes out.

Frank looks at the ceiling and thanks the stars they are still close. "Beth, listen to me. I'll be there soon. I need to hang up so I can get moving. You sit tight and if anyone shows up you hide."

"No. I'll kill them." is all he hears before the line goes dead.

Frank throws on some clothes and grabs his keys. He heads for the door and stops. _Damn I have got to replace my cell phone._

Frank grabs the phone up again and punches up the number for The New York Cleaner. "Angel Listen carefully. I need you to go to Josef office building, the one in downtown Manhattan. Be prepared to transport a possible three hurt vamps, bring blood."

"Do you know what kind of mess there is to actually be cleaned?" she asks.

"I have no idea of the scene clean up involved. I just got the call and I'm on my way. If you get there before, I do, do not, I repeat do not enter the building. We've got at least one conscience vamp and she will try to kill anyone she doesn't know to protect the other two. You can take her but if you hurt her Josef will kill us all. Wait until I get there to enter the building. I would suggest that your people are armed to the teeth. This just got way out of control. You got that? I'm on my way. I'm about fifteen minutes away."

"Meet you there." And the line goes dead.

Frank pulls up in front of the building and sees four black vans parked along the street. No markings, no windows, just silent black vans. He pulls in behind the last one. As he gets out, he sees the tall female vampire dressed all in black leathers. She walks back to meet him.

Frank greets The Cleaner. "Angel."

"Frank, what the hell is going on?"

"Lots of trouble. It's better if you don't know too much. Let's go up and see what we can find. You've got keys, don't you?"

"Yea, I've got a master. It's an arrangement Josef and I have since this is a vamp building and he's not here to monitor it. I baby-sit his buildings for a very hefty fee. He has security but I'm his fall back, like tonight. Who's upstairs?"

"It sounds like Josef and his friend Mick are both hurt, and their woman Beth is conscience. She's the one who called me."

Angel arches and eyebrow at Frank and he snorts. "Don't ask me."

Angel goes to unlock the door but finds it already open and turns to Frank. "It's unlocked, not good. Something odd, usually there is twenty-four-hour security, even if it's only two guards."

She turns to her second in command. "Cover all the exits." She sends part of her crew up the elevator leaving people at every floor to start a room-by-room search. She and Frank zip up the emergency stairs. When they get to the top floor Frank puts a restraining arm on Angel. "Let me go in first. Beth will try and kill anyone she doesn't know." Frank opens the door. He smells vampire blood and tries to sense where Beth is. He senses her in the doorway of the ruined office. Silently he moves through the area until he sees her crouched in the doorway of Josef's office. "Beth, it's me Frank."

He hears a sob as she crumples to the floor. He crosses the room to her in the blink of an eye and waves Angel and her crew in. "Beth, come on. Are you hurt?"

Beth shakes her head. "No."

He leads her to a chair and waves one of Angel's people over. "Bring me a pint." She nods and is back in the blink of an eye with a pint of blood in her hand. Frank takes it and gives it to Beth. "Drink this down and you'll feel better."

Angel comes back looking grim and nods for Frank to follow her. "I'm going over to talk to Angel. You stay here." He notices her look of distress

Beth shakes her head. "No, I'm going back to Mick and Josef."

"Beth don't argue. Angel's people can't help them if you're in the way."

She narrows her eyes at him but gives him a curt nod.

He moves away to talk to Angel. "Shit Frank. Whoever came in here tried to ambush them but didn't seem to know about the second elevator. It looks like Josef and his friend surprised them. The problem is, they took some direct hits, silver loads from the looks of it. There is vamp blood everywhere and not all of it theirs. They must have given as good as they got, I'm guessing it's the only reason they still have their heads. We've got them both on I.V.s but the silver poisoning will keep them down a few days. We'll clean up the scene, but they should be out of here. If whoever did this comes back…"

"I've been thinking about that. It's time Josef went home to Long Island. That was actually his next stop from here anyway."

Angel laughs. "Wonder what time zone he'll wake up in?"

Frank smiles. "Who knows? It's one of the mysteries that makes life interesting."

Angel nods. "You make the arrangements and I'll get them ready. I'm guessing the girl is going along?"

Frank looks at Angel warily "Yes, but I'll take care of her."

Frank pulls out his phone and makes a call he's been dreading. "Juliet, let me talk to Vanessa."

"Vanessa, I've got bad news. Josef and his friend Mick are both hurt bad, silver poisoning. The good news is they should make it, with a few days' rest. They are at his Manhattan office building. I'm taking care of things now."

"Frank, is Beth with them?"

"Yes, she's here as well but she's not hurt. I'm going to need a secure place for them while they heal. Angel will transport and I'll bring Beth in. They are both going to need lots of I.V.'s, you may want to stock up."

"Who did this?" Vanessa manages to get out.

Frank hears the controlled fury in her voice. "I don't have the whole story yet, but it looks like an ambush. You should put them both in the same room with a third freezer for Beth or she'll go crazy and never get any rest. I'll see you soon." He hangs up.

Beth watches as Mick and Josef are loaded on to stretchers. She starts to follow them out the door and Frank grabs her by the arm as she passes. She looks down at his hand and up into his eyes and snarls at him. "Let go. I'm going with Mick and Josef." Before she can move, he silently sticks the needle in her arm. She looks down realizing what he's done. "Damn you Frank." He catches her as she falls and picks her up in his arms and heads for the door.

Angel watches the scene and shakes her head. "Man, I would not want to be you when she wakes up. She is going to be so pissed."

He nods his head. "I know but when she wakes up, she will be in a room with the two of them and that's all she's going to care about. Hopefully, she will have time to cool off before she sees me again. I don't have time to argue with her and I want her with me. At this point, I'm not sure who all is after them, and protecting her is my number one priority. If I let anything happen to her, Josef will kill me when he wakes up. I'm way more concerned about a pissed off Josef than I am Beth."

Angel snickers and then sobers when she realizes what he's getting at. "Is it likely that someone will attack the vans?"

Frank shakes his head. "I have no idea. Just be careful. Vanessa is waiting for us and I'm sure she's worried. Let's get going."

"I'll meet you downstairs. I have to give some last-minute instructions to make sure this place is nice and neat by morning."

Xxxxxx

Richard paces the floor. He snaps his phone open when it rings. "Yes? Did you get them?"

The security chief, Edgar Garcia makes a sour face into the phone. "No, and they killed three of my men."

"Two of them and you couldn't take their heads?" Richard snarls.

_No, because something about this order stinks. _"We had to get out of there before they got the rest of us. Together they are fordable. Sir, as head of security I need to know what kind of threat they pose. Telling us to hunt them down and kill them is not be enough. I need dossier on them so I can be better prepared. I know that one is young for a vamp, under a hundred but the other is old. As you know, I have only been at this a hundred and fifty years, so I am not familiar with the entire community. I need more information." _So, I can figure out what the hell you're up to._

"Just do as I say. You don't need to know anything beyond what I tell you." Richard snaps at the man.

"But sir, they could be a threat to other council members. We should alert the others."

"NO. You will tell no one of this. Just get them." Richard slams his phone shut.

The security chief looks off into the distance. He has only been a vampire for less than two hundred years. He's been a soldier and a policeman long enough to smell a rat when it is presented to him. Despite the head of council's attitude, he and his men are not the Richard's private army. They provide security for the entire council and its members. He takes a deep breath and flips his phone open. It's time for a second opinion before more of his men die.

"Do you know who this is?" He asks.

"Of course."

"I need to talk to you about a matter of urgency. Since you were the previous head of council, I respect your opinion. I know it has been a long time, but they tell me you served our people well and wisely. I need your advice."

"Things are very bad right this minute. Someone attacked my son in his office building."

The Edgar closes his eyes and gulps. "Lady Vanessa, that may have been me and my men. Please, I had no idea he is your son. I am receiving some very strange orders. I need to discuss this with someone before things get worse."

Vanessa stops in her tracks. "You and your men…. but why?"

"Orders from the head of the council. Please, I must speak to you in person."

Vanessa nods to herself. "Yes, your right, you do. Please come to the house but call me when you get close. How far away are you?"

"Thank you, ma'am. It will be a couple of hours." He hangs up.

xxxxxxx

Frank pulls up to the lovely old estate. For a second the memories start to intrude. He takes a deep breath and pushes them aside. He gets out of the car and opens the passenger side door and scoops Beth up in his arms. He looks behind him and waits. Angel and her people are pulling the two stretchers out of the back of the vans.

Vanessa is waiting at the door having heard them pull up. Frank walks in the house carrying Beth in his arms, Angel, and her crew on his heels. "I have everything ready for them. I thought you said Beth wasn't hurt."

"She is. I sedated her so I could keep her with me and protect her. If I hadn't sedated her, I'd have had to spend too much time arguing with her. I'd rather she be pissed at me in a safe location."

Vanessa leads them into a cold room where there are three freezers set up. Frank lays Beth down in one. Angela's people place Mick and Josef in the other two. They shut the lids. Vanessa looks down into the glass at Josef and shakes her head. "He's so stubborn. If not for Mick, he'd be dead, before he'd ask for any real help." She touches the glass sighs and leaves the room.

Angel gets ready to leave and Vanessa stops her. "Thank you for your help. Please send me the bill for everything."

Angel nods to her. "Yes, ma'am." Angel and her crew leave the big house.

Vanessa turns to Frank and he can see the worry and anger in her eyes. He holds out his arms to her and she gratefully hugs him. "Frank, what is going on? I received a call from the security chief for the council. He believes he and his men were the ones that attacked Josef and Mick. He says he didn't know who they were. He wants to see me. He says he is receiving some very strange orders."

Frank takes a deep breath and braces himself for her reaction. "It started with Ramsey, but he's got backing from Richard."

He feels the anger rising in her. Vanessa completely vamps out. "Do you know where Ramsey is? I want him dead. Now. Josef or I should have taken care of him three hundred years ago. Why on earth would Richard go after Josef and Mick?"

Frank shakes his head. He looks into her eyes and gently brushes a lock of hair out of her face. "Vanessa we will get to Ramsey and Richard if they are behind this. First, we need to keep an eye on Beth and wait for Mick and Josef to heal. She's a handful at best and with Josef and Mick down she could hurt herself,"

Vanessa's vamp disappears as fast as it appeared. Vanessa looks at him in surprise. "Hurt herself how?"

Frank looks down at his watch. "She should be awake soon. Unless I miss my guess, she will stop remembering to sleep and eat until at least one of them wakes up to intervene. She is going to be unhappy with me but I'm also the only one she's even familiar with so if you don't mind, I think I better stay."

Vanessa snarls at him. "Of course, I don't mind if you stay. Dammit Frank, you're the one that left."

"Vanessa let's not get into this now." He says gently.

She nods and moves away from him. He watches her closely. She's so beautiful. She almost matches his six-foot frame. Her long dark red hair cascades down her back. He looks into her green eyes and knows he could get lost in them forever. He sighs. One of these days they will figure things out.

He notices her dress. "Hey, what time zone are we in? You almost look modern." He teases trying to lighten the mood. The dress stops just below her knee. It's straight, with a drop waist. She twirls in the dress and he watches her, appreciating the view. "Wait a minute. I remember this dress. Let's see, it must be about 1925 here in the states." He looks at her remembering the stockings and garters she used to wear under the dress. His eyes flash and for just a moment the desire between them is palpable.

She laughs. "Give the man a Cuppie doll. You're right on the mark. Of course, it's cheating when you were there when I bought the dress."

He smiles. "Yea, good times. You don't usually pick a time and place you lived through."

She shrugs and he can see sadness in her eyes. "Like you said, good times. I sort of missed those days, so I thought I'd go back for a while."

Frank moves to hold her in his arms.

Vanessa stops cold and looks at Frank. "She's awake. Frank."

Beth pops the top of the freezer up and curses Franks name. She jumps out of the freezer and sees two more freezers close together. She immediately looks in one and then the other seeing Josef in one and Mick in the other. Beth notices the I.V. lines going into each one of them. She walks the room looking to see if there is more blood for them. They are both going to need refills soon. She finds a fridge in the corner stocked with several bags of blood. She finds her clothing stacked on a chair, so she quickly gets dressed. She lets out a sigh and drags a chair from the corner over and sits between them, watching one than the other.

Frank sees the surprise on Vanessa's face. "What is it?"

Vanessa looks puzzled. "I can sense her but nothing beyond that."

He shrugs, "Talk to Josef about it later. He has more information on her than I have."

Frank sticks his head in the door, and he hears a low growl. "Come on Beth, you know I had to do it."

More growling. He shakes his head. "Listen, I'll go if you want but there are some things, I need to know about what happened and there are things I need to tell you." Vanessa stands in the hall listening to the conversation, not thinking much of Frank's talk with Beth.

She turns and looks at him, fangs bared. "All I need to know is where they are, nothing else matters. Frank, so far you have staked me once and shot me full of tranquillizers twice. I don't trust you. Stay the hell away from me and mine. I only called you because Josef told me too and there was no one else in New York. You did your part now stay away from them"

He turns back to Vanessa who raises an eyebrow at him. He shrugs and tries again from the doorway to talk to Beth "Don't you even want to know where you are?"

"Nope. We are safe for the moment. I'll watch over them until they can heal. I found a fridge in the corner with blood. I'll keep the blood in the I.V. lines. I'll take care of them. You stay away."

Frank backs out of the room.

Vanessa shakes her head, "Fat lot of good you did. What does she mean you staked her and tranquilized her twice? Frank how come she doesn't trust you?" Vanessa smiles. "She loves them very much, doesn't she?"

Frank shakes his head. "Yes, very much and as for the staking it's a long story, you don't want to hear until this mess is over with. I keep forgetting whom I'm dealing with." Frank smiles at Vanessa. "She's very much like Josef."

Vanessa shakes her head. "Well, this can't go on until they wake up. It could be a few days. She'll crash and then we'll have three of them down. I'm going to go in and see her."

Vanessa opens the door. Beth doesn't move but she does scent the air, to see who is coming in. She turns and smiles at Vanessa. She gets out of the chair and moves to Vanessa quickly and impulsively hugging her. Vanessa feels a warmth wash over her from Beth. She realizes, she was right, and she can't read Beth any more than, she can read Josef. She reaches out to Mick and he's a blank as well. She shakes her head and wonders at the fates that brought these three together.

Vanessa smiles and looks down at Beth. "It's okay."

Beth smiles. "I know."

"How?"

Beth shrugs. "You feel right."

Frank starts to move into the room and Beth moves away from Vanessa. She stands between him and the two freezers and snarls at him. "I told you to stay the hell away from them."

"Dammit Beth. I had to do what I did, all three times and you know it."

"You and Josef always do whatever you damn well please. Him I've got to put up with, you I don't. Get out."

Frank shakes his head. "You talk to her. She's your family but I need to know what happened." He leaves the room

Vanessa guides Beth back to her chair and Beth sits down. Vanessa grabs a chair and the two of them sit between the two freezers. Vanessa takes Beth's hand. "Do you know who I am?"

Beth cocks her head and smiles. "Just that somehow you are connected to Josef and me. If I had to guess I would say you are Josef's sire."

Vanessa nods at her. "Yes, but around here we don't use sire. I'm his mother."

Beth giggles. "I like that. So, your relationship to Josef isn't like what mine is with him."

"No, I treat my turns as my children, just as a human mother would think of her children. Now, we need to talk about what happened to these two, who did this?"

Beth shakes her head. "I don't know. You wait till Josef's is feeling good again. I'm going to kick his butt."

Vanessa laughs. "What did he do?"

"He heard or sensed them or something and stuffed me in the private elevator in his office. Then he broke the key in the lock so that I couldn't open the doors. It took me so long to get out of there. I think he figured they could kill whoever was coming before they could get to me or I could get out. It was terrible. I could hear the fight and I couldn't help them. When I finally found a way out and got to them the fight was over. They were both hurt really bad and whoever it was that they fought managed to get away." Beth sighs. "I am so sick and tired of being told what to do or not even given a choice."

Vanessa laughs. "You are certainly Josef's fledgling."

Beth nods. "I'm incredibly lucky. They are both so wonderful."

Vanessa gets up. "I need to go talk to Frank. Will you come with me? He's really is a good guy."

Beth shakes her head. "No, can't leave them. I know Frank is okay, I'm mad at him and Josef for continually protecting me against my wishes. Mick is almost as bad but sometimes I can get him to relent. Josef and Frank don't argue they just do what they want."

Vanessa nods. "It's because they are so much older than you are. I'll be back in a little bit to check on you. Okay?"

Beth nods and watches Vanessa leave.

Vanessa enters the main living room and sees Frank pacing. "Wearing a whole in the floor isn't going to get you any answers."

"What did she say? Did she see security officers' uniforms?"

Vanessa shakes her head. "She doesn't know. Josef locked her in his private elevator before it all started. That's why she's so mad at you. You're one more person making decisions for her."

"She doesn't give anyone any choice. You know how head strong the women in this family can be."

Vanessa snorts at him. "You know, there is more than one reason Josef is my only male turn. He's as bad as any two of the rest of us."

Frank holds up his hand. "I know we're all a pain in ass."

Vanessa laughs. "Glad you finally agree. I like Beth. You're right about her. She isn't going to move until someone she trusts agrees to watch over them. I have a hunch that the only person she's going to trust with that job is me."

"Great. Now I have to watch over both of you."

Xxxxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome.**


	9. Chapter 9

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxxx

Edgar is nervous. He is sure now that it was Lady Vanessa's son that they attacked in the office building. He hopes he can explain. He may not know her well, but her attitudes about her family are well known. He waits in the garden for her as she instructed him on the phone. Vanessa sees the man fidgeting in the dark. She feels sorry for him, only because Josef and Mick will be fine. Had that not been the case she was sure she would not be near as understanding. He sees her and bows deeply, hoping some groveling will help. "Ma'am, I'm so sorry. I had no idea. The orders Richard is giving me make no sense. When I try to get more information, I'm told I must do as I'm told with no explanations of the reasons. Ma'am my men and I are not the private army for the head of council."

Vanessa takes pity on the poor man. "Listen, Josef and Mick will be fine, and I understand the problems you are facing. I'm not happy about what happened but I am glad that you came to me. It makes up for a lot."

A little relief shows on Edgar's face. "What can I do? I cannot refuse the orders given by the head of council but clearly what he wants me to do is wrong. Ma'am I am loyal to the council… but… This feels like there is a power play in the works and me and my men are caught in the middle."

Vanessa smiles. "Here is what I want you to do. From now on if there is anyone that Richard wants you to kill, don't bother to look for them. If you can't find them, you can't harm anyone. If Richard tells you to kill anyone else, and I mean anyone, you must call me and tell me who it is."

Edgar starts to fidget, and Vanessa knows there is more. She doesn't want to take the information from him by force. There is too much is on the line to let it go if he isn't telling her everything. "Is there more? You must tell me everything if I'm to get to the truth."

"There are already more names. Some of them I know and some I don't. There is a woman named Beth Turner, her I don't know. The rest I know all too well. They are Frank, Bishop, Damian, and Ramsey. They were all on the same list as your son and his friend."

Vanessa shakes her head. "Thank you for telling me. I will make sure you have a great deal of trouble finding any of those people. Except Ramsey so you won't be put in that position again."

Edgar smiles for the first time. He bows to Vanessa again. "Thank you very much. I must go back to my barracks. Ma'am, I'm glad your son and his friend are going to be okay." And he turns and leaves her.

Vanessa returns to the house. She needs everyone to stay safe until she can kill Richard. Frank is right though; Beth, Josef and Mick must come first.

Vanessa sits between Josef and Mick reading a book. After a day and a half, she finally convinced Beth that she would sit with them and not move unless one of them woke up. Then she promised to wake Beth right away. It was not an easy sell. Vanessa smiles as she thinks about Beth. She's perfect for Josef, a daily challenge. The addition of Mick doesn't faze her a bit, but she wishes they would all move in together. It seems silly to her for them to live apart from each other. Clearly, they are bound to each other so and they would be much safer with them under the same roof.

Vanessa looks up when she hears Josef's phone ringing. It's sitting in the corner on a chair. She crosses the room and looks down. It says Frank is calling but that can't be. Vanessa closes her eyes and nudges Frank without entering his mind. She's a telepath but she always tries to be considerate of everyone around her. She's been at this long enough she has full control of what she can do. She feels Frank acknowledge her. The door to the cold room opens and Frank slips in. He looks around thinking that Josef or Mick are awake. Vanessa hands him Josef's phone. "It rang and said it was from you."

"Just now?"

"Yes. Just this minute."

Frank leaves the room and flips Josef's phone open and has it dial back to the missed call. "Josef?"

Frank realizes its Bishop. "Bishop, it's Frank. Josef is busy. You're the one who ended up with my phone."

"Frank, good to hear your voice. Yea, I found it in the safe house and stuck it in my pocket. I've been waiting for information. I figured Josef would take a call that said it was from you. He's not going to be overjoyed to talk to me."

"I talked to Josef in your behalf. He's not happy about it but you're safe from Josef, for now."

"Thanks. I don't need anyone else hunting my ass. Man, all hell is breaking lose. I've got a guy in Richard's office and he left me a voice mail. Richard is hunting everyone. Frank it's bad. Ramsey, Damian, you, our little trio, and I are all on it. I'm surprised Lady Vanessa isn't on it as well."

Frank shakes his head. "Yea, I got the same information. Richard is covering his tracks. Hopefully not even he would be stupid enough to go after Vanessa. Ramsey is on everyone's hit list. Josef obviously wants him dead. From what I gather from Damian he made some calls. He let Ramsey's supporters know that he has been lying about Lance and the boys, so they are gunning for him as well."

"Frank, I'm taking off. I've always known it was going to end like this. I've had a couple of escape routes planned for some time."

"Do me a favor and stay healthy. Is there anything I can do to help?"

"No. I'm sitting on several large stashes. I'll be fine. I've got a couple clean up chores to take care of them I'm gone. Take it easy Frank." The line goes dead.

Xxxxxxx

Two days later Josef finally pops the lid on the freezer and sits up. He's a little disoriented. He thinks he's reliving the time when he woke up after he wrecked the Ferrari. He finds Beth once again wrapped around him crying. Then it all comes flooding back. He looks to his left and sees the second freezer. He senses Mick is inside. Vanessa comes through the door and smiles when she sees the scene. "Thank Hera."

Beth remembers the last time and gently unwinds herself from Josef who smiles at her weakly. "How much trouble am I in?"

She smiles at him. "Lots, but it can wait until you can defend yourself." Beth hugs him again and he feels her tears freezing as they roll down his back. He rubs her back until the tears stop. Vanessa moves to remove the I.V. from his arm. Frank pours him a glass and hands it to him. Beth realizes she's in the way and gets out of the freezer. Vanessa can see from Josef's face how much pain he is still in, but when Beth moves away from him it intensifies. Vanessa looks at Josef questioningly.

He smiles at her. "We'll talk later. I could use a couple minutes to get cleaned up and get dressed before the questions start."

Beth watches him. "Are you sure you're okay?" Josef can see her torn. She wants to go with him to make sure he's alright, but she doesn't want to leave Mick. He reaches out and kisses her. "Yes, I'm fine. You stay with Mick. I'll be back after I clean up. You need to be here when he wakes up. I'm up and moving. I'll be completely healed by the time I get out of the shower."

She nods. He's right. He will finish mending fast now. "Ok. I'll be here when you get out of the shower."

He leans over and kisses her again. He leaves to clean up.

Beth watches Mick hoping he will wake up soon.

Xxxxxxxx

Josef gets out of the shower and finds a stack of clean clothes waiting for him. He picks through them until he finds a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. He walks back in the cold room and joins Beth looking down at Mick. "Was he hurt that much more than you were? Why is he taking longer to heal?"

Josef sighs. "A couple of reasons. First he's much younger and unlike humans the older and more powerful a vampire is the faster they heal."

Beth nods. "And?"

Josef shrugs. "And he doesn't take care of himself like he should."

Beth looks up at Josef and scrunches her nose at him. "This is why you're always trying to get him to feed from freshies isn't it?"

"Yes. I know that he doesn't object to going to Jenny's or feeding from the girls when he's at our place anymore, but it's not the same. He needs warm healthy blood to be a regular routine for him to be as strong as he should be. It doesn't even need to be every day but at least every third day. It's the same with you. It's the one thing that bothers me about this living arrangement. I don't mind you living with Mick near as much as I mind you eating with him."

Beth nods and Josef smiles. He sees the determination in her eyes. He guesses Mick has about a year. Then when she moves back in with Mick, he's going to find his life slowly changing, one meal at a time.

"Speaking of eating, Beth, when was the last time you ate and slept?" She doesn't seem too worn out to him, but he wants to make sure.

She waves her hand in the air. "Not long ago. Josef, what's bothering him? He's pulling back from me. He hasn't been like this in a long time."

He shakes his head sadly. "Beth, he'll be ok for now, but you are just going to have to let this go until we get home. This is not the place to go into it. If he wakes up don't start on him. One thing at a time and believe me this needs to wait. I'm going to go talk to Frank and Vanessa. Are you going to be alright?"

She nods. "Yes, as soon as Mick wakes up."

Josef leaves the room. He finds Vanessa in her study. "When was the last time Beth ate or slept?"

Vanessa smiles. "Not too long ago. She's consented to do both a couple of times, if I would sit with you and Mick. She should be ok for about six more hours. If he's not up by then she's going to need someone to make her take a break. Now that you're up, you can do it. The girl is stubborn, but in this case, I can hardly blame her."

Josef nods. "Thank you. She would sit there until she passed out if someone didn't make her take a break. Where is Frank? I need to find out what I've missed since I've been down."

"Josef, before you go in search of Frank, I want to talk to you about Beth. I can't read her."

Josef laughs. "So, there are two of us now."

"No, actually three."

Josef nods. "Mick?"

"Yes, I should be able to get something from him, even in the state he's in, but he's as blank as you and Beth are to me."

He smirks at her "Guess it's a good thing they are already vamps or you'd have to turn them too."

"Now, Josef, that's not the only reason I offered to turn you."

He's still smirking at her. "Sure... mom."

"Josef, behave and answer me."

Josef looks at her speculatively. "As soon as you answer me, the truth this time."

Vanessa looks at him puzzled by the request. "I've always told you the truth."

Josef nods. "Well, how about no evasions this time. I want to know why you stepped down as head of the council."

Vanessa scowls at him. "Josef..." She knows the look on his face. He's not going to let this go anymore. "Because it was the compromise, I had to make to keep the council from branding you a rogue. It's the only way I could stop an execution order issued on you when you were killing Ramsey's people. A lot of the council thought you were well within your rights. Unfortunately, Ramsey had a lot of support in those days, so they sided with him. Richard was the compromise and he is worthless."

Josef nods. "I'm sorry. I had no idea. It's time I fixed that."

"What exactly do you have in mind?" Vanessa asks.

Josef shakes his head. "It's better you don't know." He smiles "Now on to what you want to know. Beth is an empath and Mick sees the past and is starting to see the future. He saw Frank grab Beth and high tail it out of the safe house they had her in when Ramsey showed up."

Josef hears a small growl from Vanessa. "He kidnapped her from you, didn't he? Damn I hate him working for Damian."

Josef shrugs. "I don't like it either but, in this case, it was better safe than sorry. If Ramsey gets his hands-on Beth…"

Josef smiles. "If it's any consolation, I can't affect them either. It's why I need to fight her every step of the way when we don't agree. She was stubborn enough when she was human. Being a vampire has only made it worse. I can't make her do anything like I can with most vamps and most humans. It doesn't work with either of them. On the other hand, Beth can affect both Mick and me. She has helped Mick on a couple of occasions with pain management. Well, you saw when she was with me in the cold room. As soon as she pulled back from me the pain was worse. The thing is, most of the time she has no idea she's doing it."

"Josef, I have a pretty good guess why she can affect you but not the other way around."

He smiles "Really? Will it help me make her do what I want?"

Vanessa laughs. "No, but it will help you understand her. My guess is the reason you can't affect her, but she can you is because you're open to her. You know all she wants to do is love you. On the other hand, she can shut your influence down. If you were to affect her it would be to make her do something she doesn't want to do. So, she's managed to close that part off without losing you. As for Mick, what he can do is passive so there is no effect. He can resist you for the same reason, you are trying to get him to do something he doesn't want to do. I'm guessing that because they both have their own particular gifts; it enables them to resist you."

Josef smiles. "Never thought of it like that. I'm sure you're right."

Vanessa looks at him curiously. "Josef, why don't you all live in one place all the time? It would seem like the natural thing to do."

Josef smiles. "Vanessa you have to remember, three different personalities. Two young ones and all from contrasting times and mores. We're not quite ready for that yet." Josef smiles softly. "We'll get there." Vanessa watches his face harden in anger. "Also, Mick is still working through some of the baggage that Coraline and Damian left him. Hopefully, this is the last shoe to drop."

"Damian? What does he have to do with Mick and Coraline?"

Josef tells her and watches her eyes flash. "I'm with Mick. Someone needs to kill Damian."

"I almost wish I had. He's gotten into Mick's head and I know Mick he's headed for the dark again. Once we get home, and he has time to think things over it's not going to be pretty, but we'll get him through it."

Vanessa smiles at him softly. "I never thought I would see you bond with anyone like you have with these two. I'm so glad you have them."

Josef smiles back at her. "Yes, me too." He clears his throat and Vanessa knows the moment is over. She smiles. That's Josef, not too much emotion out front, all in his eyes. She decides it's time to change the subject. "I'm surprised Damian didn't take Beth before this, so he could 'teach' her." Vanessa growls, angry at herself for not seeing it coming and warning Josef.

"If she had been anyone but my fledgling, he would have but Damian remembers, and he knows what I would have done. Now, I'm going to go find Frank and see what I've missed."

Frank enters the study and sits down heavily. "What you've missed is that Richard issued a list with seven names on it and he's ordered they all be killed."

Vanessa narrows her eyes. "Yes, and once Mick is up and everyone is well, I will take care of Richard."

Frank shakes his head. "No, you won't. Josef, you have to help me make her see that killing Richard is not the way to go."

Vanessa snorts and waves her hand dismissively. "Well, he is only eight hundred years old. How hard could it be?"

Josef gets up and starts to pace. Vanessa smiles watching Josef pace. Josef turns back to Vanessa. "Frank is right. This needs to be taken care of so there isn't any political fallout. Killing Richard out right isn't the answer." Josef turns to Frank. "Damian, Ramsey, you, Bishop, Me, Mick and Beth?"

Frank nods. "Josef, we need to get out of here before he finds out where we are and adds Vanessa to that list. I'm afraid he's desperate enough to try and take her on as well."

Frank hears a growl and looks at Vanessa. "Frank, you worry about yourself. I'll take care of myself."

Frank narrows his eyes at her. "Vanessa, you know that isn't going to happen so get over it. I don't care how much older you are than the rest of us. As soon as Mick is up and moving, we all need to be out of here. Josef, who attacked you at the office? Beth was no help in telling me what happened. Vanessa and I have information that it was the council's security team."

"Yes, I was surprised when I saw the uniforms. I didn't think they usually did that sort of thing. They hit us hard. We're lucky they thought five would be enough. We killed three of the five, but the damn silver kept us from healing."

"If it's any consolation, I spoke to the security chief and there will be no more of that. I told him to tell Richard everyone is hiding out and he can't find any one he wants killed. The poor man had no idea what Richard was telling him to do. He was smart enough to come to see me for a second opinion when he realized something was terribly wrong. The two of you made a distinct impression on the man. He didn't want to do a second go around with you."

Josef smiles. "Mick may be young but the P.I. thing keeps him on his toes so he's particularly good at this. He's going to be down for another day or so."

"Josef, before I forget, you need to keep Damian away from Mick. I have a hunch he's going to try and mess with his head. You know Damian and his manipulations."

Josef shakes his head. "To late. Damian thinks he knows what's best. If he's not careful he's going to send Mick into a spiral that even Beth and I can pull him out of."

"I'm sorry I didn't think to warn you sooner."

Josef shrugs. "When we get home, we can worry about it. There is too much else going on at this point. Frank, once Mick is moving, I want you to take Beth and head for Canada. I know you have more contacts there and I know you can lose yourself there. I don't want her anywhere near this and I want her out of Richard and Ramsey's reach. You don't have to go clear to Yellowknife, but I want her out from under Richard's domain. Pierre DePaul is a friend and we've done a lot of business together over the years. He will extend his protection to her as head of the Canadian territory."

Frank shakes his head. "She is not going to agree to this." He looks at Josef sheepishly. "And I'm not exactly her favorite person these days. I drugged her again and I'd be surprised if she would even get in a car with me. Josef, she's really mad at me."

"Once Mick gets healthy, he and I will take care of getting her to go. You worry about getting her out of the country."

Vanessa narrows her eyes at him. "I don't like the idea of you and Mick out there alone."

He smiles softly at her. "Don't worry. I've got a few ideas."

She smiles at him ruefully. "That's what I'm afraid of."

Xxxxxxxx

**Comments always welcome.**

s


	10. Chapter 10

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxxx

A day and a half later, Beth feels Josef picking her up off the chair in the cold room. She's so tired she can't even fight him anymore. He slips her in her freezer and whispers to her that he will wake her when Mick wakes up. He's been trying to get her to lie down for several hours. He finally decided to wait until she falls asleep to move her. He knows she can't stay awake much longer. He's been reminding her to feed so she's not in any real danger of a complete crash. She told him earlier that she is afraid for Mick because he's not waking up. He knows it's also because she doesn't understand why Mick is pulling away from her. He tries to convince her that Mick will be up soon. He just needs some more time. She insists that she is too anxious to sleep. Frank kiddingly offers up some tranquilizer and gets a dirty look from them.

Josef grabs the financial pages. He sits in the chair Beth's been occupying almost continually for the last few days. He hates it when they put her through times like this. The commitment the three of them have to each other is a little consuming sometimes. He thinks about how he's going to tell her that she needs to go to Canada with Frank. It is not going to be a pleasant conversation, but he needs to find a way to convince her that it's necessary.

A couple hours pass, and Josef looks over at Beth as he senses her fighting to wake up. Damn it "Beth go back to sleep. He's still not awake."

"No, I'm fine." She gets out of her freezer and starts to reach for a robe when she senses movement from Mick. He pushes the lid to his freezer up. Before he's completely awake he realizes he has a very naked Beth wrapped around him. Mick looks at Josef and smiles softly. "I may get hurt more often if I can wake up like this." Mick wraps his arms around Beth and holds her until she calms down. "It's okay, I'm fine."

Josef laughs. "Nice to have you back. We've missed you." Gently Josef unwinds Beth from Mick. "Come on, you need to go back to your freezer now that he's awake. You know he will be fine now." Beth starts to protest but a yawn interrupts her. Mick and Josef laugh. Beth tries to look cross at them but smiles and nods. "Maybe for a little while." She looks at Mick intently. "You're sure you're okay?"

Mick smiles at her, "Yes, I'm going to be fine. Go, on."

Josef gets the I.V. out of Mick's arm and hands him a glass of AB negative and Mick downs it. He gets up and Josef points him in the direction of the shower and some clean clothes Josef found for him.

Mick goes to take a shower. Josef looks through the glass of Beth's freezer at and touches the glass. "What are we going to do with you?"

A little while later Mick returns, looking much better. Like Josef, the healing was complete by the time he was done showering. He sees Josef watching Beth sleep and smiles. "She's been watching us since we got here hasn't, she?"

Josef nods. "I wish she wouldn't do that. It takes so much out of her. Vanessa finally got her to agree to rest when we were both still down, then I took over when I woke up." Josef straightens up and looks at Mick. "Things are not good. Come on and I'll bring you up to speed. There are some decisions we need to make."

Mick smiles ruefully. In Josef speak that means Josef has already decided. What he needs Mick to agree or expand on what he already decided. They enter Vanessa's study to find her and Frank scowling at each other. Josef decides to ignore the anger he can sense. "Frank you and Mick have met. Mick this is my mother, Lady Vanessa."

Mick smiles at her, "It's very nice to meet you."

She stands up and crosses the room and hugs Mick who is slightly taken aback.

"Thank you for keeping Josef from getting himself killed and please call me Vanessa. You and Beth are family."

Mick smiles at her, "It works both ways. We keep each other from getting killed."

Frank stands up "How soon can you be ready to leave?"

Vanessa turns and growls at Frank. "Stop it. Nobody is going anywhere until we have hashed this out. Where is Beth?"

Josef rolls his eyes at the two of them. "She's still sleeping."

"Have you told her what you plan to do?" Vanessa asks.

"No. I haven't had a chance. I want her rested and fed first."

Mick looks at Josef. "Josef, it seems you left something out."

"I want Beth to go with Frank to Canada. I want her out of the country. Frank is very familiar with Canada and he'll know where to hide her."

Mick snorts and sits down heavily on the couch. "Good luck with that."

Josef shakes his head. "Oh, no, you have to help me convince her. This is one time you have to put your foot down and mean it."

"Stick it, Josef. I am not going to Canada."

Josef whirls around to find Beth in the doorway. "Yes, you are."

Beth shakes her head and stands toe to toe with him. "Nope and you can't make me."

"Yes, you are and yes I can."

Beth's eyes slide to Vanessa who shakes her head. Josef looks from Beth to Vanessa and back again. Beth sees the hurt in his eyes when he looks back at her. Without a word he turns and walks out the door.

Beth watches him leave. "Shit. I screwed that up."

Mick looks at her. "What did I miss?"

She looks at Mick a little sheepishly but doesn't say anything.

Frank looks at Mick. "She tried to go over his head to Vanessa."

"I did not. I mean, I looked at Vanessa but not because she's his sire, er mother, but because I was looking for help."

Mick looks at Beth. "Then go tell him."

Beth walks out the door and reaches out to try and find him. She senses him outside under the stars. She watches him standing there with his hands in his pocket looking up at the night sky. She approaches him and threads her arms around his waist from behind. He can feel her tight against his back. He tries to look at her. "I'm not mad."

"No, but you're hurt because you think I was going over your head to Vanessa."

"Yea. It hurts, but I guess I can't blame you."

"Josef it was wrong and I'm sorry. I didn't think. I was looking for any help I could think of to help me change your mind. If Mick had been in my line of vision, I would have gone to him, but Vanessa was there. I never thought about the fact that she's older than you are and your sire. I wanted some help convincing you to let me stay."

Josef turns around and looks at her. "Beth, I need you to do this."

Beth's anger at Josef locking her in the elevator begins to surface again. "No. I'm going where you and Mick go. You can't send me away anymore. No more stuffing me in elevators. No more telling me to go to Canada and no more telling me when to run and when to stay and fight. I've had it. From now on I do what I decide, not what you and not what Mick and certainly not what Frank decide. I will let you protect me, when I agree, but I'm done running."

Josef flashes his fangs at her in frustration. "Dammit woman do what I tell you."

Beth laughs at him. "Oh, get off it. You are not going to hurt me and we both know it."

Beth takes the last couple steps towards him. Before he realizes it, she wraps her arms around his neck and pulls him into a deep kiss. Josef pulls back and looks at her. He lets out a sigh. "That's cheating. I want you safe. I want you out of this."

"Josef, I refuse to believe that you and Mick can't protect me. Especially now that you know the threats and where they are coming from. If we were at home would you send me all the way to Canada?"

Josef thinks about what Beth said. He looks down at her and smiles. "You're right. I wouldn't be sending you to Canada. You know why we got jumped, why this has not gone well from the start?"

Beth shakes her head.

"Because we've been playing in someone else's backyard and doing this their way. This is not how I would normally handle any of this. We should go home. You're right, protecting you in L.A. now that we know there is a threat and what it is gives us a big advantage. I want Ramsey dead first. Him we can kill without problems with the council or anyone else. Beth, what do I do very well?"

Beth smiles at him seductively.

Josef smiles back at her. "Besides that."

Beth shrugs. "You make money, lots of it.

"Yes, and what I can make, I can unmake." Josef taps her nose. "You've given me a very good idea and as long as Ramsey is taken care of it should work very well.

He looks at her pointedly. "But the tradeoff is that you are probably going to have to stay very close until we get this resolved. No going off the estate by yourself. Can we agree to that?"

Beth smiles. "Yes, better than being banished to Canada with Frank."

Beth kisses Josef again. Mick comes through the door and leans against the doorframe. "I'm guessing this means that you two have worked things out?"

Josef smiles. "Beth gave me a very good idea. We should go home, back to L.A. and let Richard come to us. Let him fight us in our backyard instead of the other way around. Protecting her at home now that we know what and who the threat is should be much easier in L.A. What do you think?"

Mick smiles. "Sounds good to me. It makes a lot more sense."

Beth looks from one of them to the other. "I'm going back inside. You two figure out when you want to leave."

They watch her walk away. "Josef, did she come up with the whole going home idea, so she didn't have to go to Canada?"

"No but talking to her gave me the idea. Mick, I want to apologize for not asking you what you think about these things more often."

Mick looks at Josef suspiciously. "Where is Josef and what have you done with him?"

Josef smirks at him. "Yes, I know I can be a little controlling."

Mick laughs as they walk back in the house. "A little? When do you want to leave?"

Josef shrugs. "I'd like to leave now, but Ramsey has to be dealt with before we go back. He's too patient. He could stay out there as a threat for years and I won't have that."

Beth walks back into Vanessa's study and sits down smiling.

Vanessa doesn't need to be a telepath to know that they worked it out. "That didn't take long."

"It never does. We love each other. We always find a way." Beth looks at Vanessa and Frank. "You do that when you love someone."

Frank and Vanessa glance at one another and Beth smiles.

Vanessa smiles at Beth. "You and I need to spend some time together."

Josef and Mick return to the study. "Good idea. Beth can stay here with you while we take care of Ramsey. As soon as someone can tell me where Ramsey is, we are going to take care of that problem and then go home to Los Angles. If Richard wants to continue this, he can do it on my turf, where we have the advantage."

Frank nods. "Good idea."

Mick interrupts. "You know, there is one thing I don't understand. If Richard is head of the council and has all this power, why doesn't he have us arrested? He could have us killed whatever the equivalent is for this type of power structure."

Vanessa smiles. "He would if not for me. He knows there is no way I would allow unsubstantiated charges stand against any of you. If he were to use his position in the council to kill you, well let's just say he knows the gloves would be off. He wouldn't stand a chance. So, he needs to keep it under wraps or try to go through second parties like Ramsey or the security chief. Which means I shouldn't move against him overtly either."

Josef smiles "and that's the one thing that is going to make what I have in mind all that much easier."

Vanessa looks at him wondering what he has in mind.

He smiles at her. "A bloodless coup.

Vanessa looks at the door and sees Juliet trying to catch her eye. Vanessa knows it must be urgent.

"Juliet, what is it?"

She enters the study and smiles at Josef. "Hey big brother."

Beth giggles and Josef shakes his head. He leans over and kisses Juliet's cheek. "Juliet."

She turns to Vanessa and holds up a small package. "This came for Frank. The messenger said that he was given an extra big tip. His orders are to make sure that Frank understands that this is an urgent package and he must open it right away."

Juliet hands the package to Frank.

Frank looks the package over. There is no return address, but he recognizes the handwritten address. "It's from Bishop." He tears into it and his phone drops out. "Hey, my phone. Great."

Vanessa picks up a note that had fallen out as well. She wordlessly hands it to Frank.

**Frank thought you might like this back. I took some vacation pictures you might like. Please be sure you look them over with Josef. Maybe this will help make us even.**

**Bishop**

Frank hands the note to Josef to read and then starts to view the pictures. He shakes his head and hands the phone to Josef. Mick watches the grim look of satisfaction on Josef's face. "Frank, if you see Bishop tell him we are indeed even." Josef hands the phone to Mick. He looks at the pictures of Ramsey's disembodied head sitting on a table awash in blood. "I take it this is Ramsey?"

Josef nods.

Mick shakes his head and taps the home screen. Beth narrows her eyes at him. He smiles at her. "I could show these to you, but I would rather you not see them. It's pictures of Ramsey dead."

Mick can feel her getting angry. "I've seen dead bodies before. You forget I'm a crime reporter."

"Beth, please, the pictures are grisly. Ramsey is dead, that is the important thing you need to know. He can't cause trouble anymore." Mick hands the phone back to Frank.

Beth nods her acceptance reluctantly and then brightens. "Does that mean we can go home?"

Frank scowls and turns to Josef. "You still have one problem you have to take care of before you leave."

Josef shrugs. "I'll leave the son of a bitch tied up on the tarmac with a note to Richard."

Frank shakes his head. "He may still have some use. I would rather Richard didn't get his hands on him quite yet."

"What do you propose?"

"Well, you can't take him with you. He's his own kind of trouble."

Mick snorts. "Don't I know it."

Frank shakes his head. "Mick, you know what he's capable of and I'm sorry for not giving you a warning. He manipulates people as easy as the rest of us breath. Please whatever he's done or said, let it go."

Mick shrugs.

Beth narrows her eyes at Frank. "Why do I have the feeling that I've been left out of the loop on something. "

Josef puts his arm around her. "You have been because things have been so crazy. We will tell you when we get back. Frank, what do you have in mind?"

"I'll take him off your hands. I'm sure he has a place to lay low until something can be done about Richard. Richard is Damian's only problem at this point."

Josef smiles. "Yes, well that could change at any time."

Frank glances at Vanessa and Beth. "I'm sure you're right."

Josef goes to Vanessa and takes her hand. He pulls her up out of her chair. "Come on. I know you don't want us to leave but we are, so you better give me a hug."

She hugs him. "I want the three of you back here for a visit."

"Yes, ma'am. Please don't go after Richard. I promise if this becomes more than we can handle I will call and ask for help."

Vanessa nods. "I'll let you take care of it for now." Josef hears the implication loud and clear. If it gets too far out of hand she will step in and take care of Richard, political implications be damned. She turns to Beth and Mick. "Come here, you two."

Beth and Mick hug her in turn. Frank tosses Josef a set of keys. "I had the car you were driving brought here so you can take that back to the airport. I'll follow you and take care of Damian."

Xxxxxx

Josef pulls up to the hanger. Frank pulls up behind him. They all get out of the car and Josef turns to Mick and Beth. "It's going to take a few minutes for them to get things ready to get cleared for takeoff. I need to speak to Damian in private. Please stay down here with Frank."

Mick nods and gently puts his hand on Beth's arm. She scowls but doesn't move to follow him. Josef takes the stairs fast before Beth changes her mind.

Josef enters the plane and sees Damian. "Frank is waiting to take you out of here. I was going to leave you on the tarmac for Richard, but Frank thinks you may still have some use."

"Josef, did you mean what you said about Ramsey?"

Josef nods. "Yes, and actually it's been taken care of. He won't bother anyone again. I have pictures of his demise and it will be instructional for certain vamps to get copies. I learned a long time ago when you need to get a message across to people you need to send it loud can clear. I have a hunch that your group has spawned more than one radical faction. They all better know right now, that if they go after my family the price will be high. They've forgotten the last time, so it's time for a refresher course in pissing me off. I won't have Beth worrying about this happening again. I would like to get her a permanent body guard but that's about as likely as hell freezing over."

Damian starts for the door and Josef stops him. "Stay away from the two of them. They aren't up to dealing with your manipulations. If you do this again, to either of them, I will kill you. I may still have to once I've told Beth your part in this."

Damian nods and disappears down the stairs and gets into the car with Frank.

Beth watches him with deep suspicion. She glances at Mick who sighs. "Never talk to him. He hurts people."

She nods.

Xxxxxxxx

**Comments always welcome.**


	11. Chapter 11

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Josef watches as Damian descends the stairs and gets into the waiting car with Frank. Josef follows not sure if he did the right thing letting Damian go without some form of reprisal for Mick and Beth. He shakes his head and crosses to the pair. "Mick go on up. Have something to eat. You look like you could use it. I need a word with Beth before we take off." Mick nods and Beth watches him disappear into the plane.

She glances at Josef. "I wish he didn't have to go through this alone. I wish I knew what is bothering him."

"Beth, I want him at the house while all this is going on. He's so busy thinking of other things and he's not likely to pay close attention to what's going on around him. He could be any easy mark if Richard tries to get to him. But he's not likely to agree, especially with where his head is at right now. If I could offer him the pool house and the promise that he could have some privacy from a certain blond, he might agree."

Beth looks at him ruefully. "You know you're asking me to go against my nature to not make him open up so we can fix this."

Josef snorts. "Don't I know it. Because of what is going on with him he's going to resist any attempts you make. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see him cut you off completely and I mean in here." Josef taps the side of his head.

"You think it will come to that?"

Josef nods.

"Then the answer is yes. I'll leave him be. I want him close if you think he's going to cut me off completely, especially if he could be in danger. But you need to check on him now and then. The problem is, I need to try one more time. I can't let him slip away from me without trying to help him one more time on the plane."

Josef hears her voice crack and sees a small tear run down her cheek. He gathers her into his arms and sighs. "All right, but don't say I didn't warn you."

Xxxxxxxx

Beth moves over and sits next to Mick. "I want to talk to you."

Mick turns to her. He knows this was coming but he has no idea how to stop her without hurting her. He takes her hand. "Beth. I need some time to think. Please, let it go for now, please."

She sees the pain in his eyes, and it kills her he won't talk to her. More than anything else Beth has never gotten use to Mick shutting her out. Beth gets up and walks over and puts her head against Josef's shoulder. He can feel the tears soaking into his shirt as she silently cries. Mick continues to stare out the window. Josef wraps his arm around Beth and pulls her in close and kisses the top of her head. He closes his eyes and tires to put it all out of his mind for a while and hope that Beth falls asleep.

Josef lays Beth across the two seats as he gets up. She's still worn out from her time watching over them. Josef sits across from Mick. "You should stay with us for a while, until this trouble with Richard is taken care of."

Mick shakes his head. "No. I can't. Especially not now."

"Listen to me. I need you at the house to help me if Richard comes after Beth again. My security is good, but nobody can protect her like we can because no matter what else, we both love her. You can stay in the pool house. I know it's not much, but it has its own freezer room."

Mick snorts "Not much? It's almost as big as my apartment."

"Mick, Beth has given me her word that she will give you all the privacy you need."

Mick looks at Josef a skeptically.

Josef holds up his hand. "She knows how important this is. She will stay away and let you think as long as I can come down and have a glass of scotch with you every couple of days."

"You mean check up on me."

Josef shrugs. "Call it what you want but this will hurt her a lot less if you are close while you think this through."

Mick looks at Josef. "You're really pulling out all the stops, aren't you? Protecting Beth and not hurting her near as much… not bad Josef."

"Mick, in truth you need to be where I can protect you both. You're not paying attention. You're distracted and I don't want to have to tell her that something has happened to you, and you are my best friend." Josef smiles at him. "Is any of this working?"

Mick sighs, "Yea, you had me at protecting her. I may not know why I love her, but I always will. Josef please talk to her again; tell her I really need her to stay away for a while."

"I will. When we get to L.A. there will be a blue Porsche waiting for you at the hanger. Go ahead and take it and go get whatever you need from your place but Mick, please come to the house. It's important."

Mick nods and Josef can see he is resigned to the idea.

"I have to make some calls. If Beth wakes up come, get me. I don't want her alone when she's upset."

Josef moves to the other side of the cabin to make his calls. He calls Al his security head at the estate.

Al picks up the phone when as soon as he sees it's Josef. "Josef, everything here is quiet. Are you headed home?"

"Yes, we're all on our way. Listen, the guy who snatched Beth turned out to be an old friend who was trying to keep her safe. He did his part, now it's my turn. I want security at the house and my office building on full alert. It's not quite over yet."

"I'll get on it. We'll have this place tight."

"Also, before I forget, Mick is going to stay with us for a while. He's going to be in the pool house. Unless you notice something odd let him be. He's got a lot on his mind and needs some time to sort it all out."

"I'll make sure everyone understands."

"Thanks, Al. Can you switch me over to the house? I need to talk to Robert."

"Sure."

Josef glances across the cabin and sees that not much has changed. Mick staring out the window and Beth is asleep. Josef hears the click and Robert picks up.

"Robert?"

"Yes, Josef. Al tells me you're on your way back."

"Yes, I'll fill you in on it later. Mick is going to stay down at the pool house for a while. I need you to have someone go down there and fill the fridge, leave a bottle of scotch. The thing is, he's found some things out on this trip that he's not too happy about. He needs some time to think. The trouble isn't completely over and he's too distracted, so I got him to agree to stay with us."

Robert sighs. "He's brooding, again isn't he?"

"You've known him as long as I have, what do you think? At least these days it's not about being a vampire. He seems good with that. This is probably the last shoe to drop. Once we get him through this it should be the end of those days for him."

"I hope so. It's not healthy. I'll take care of it. When do you think you'll be in?"

"We're not far out of New York so it will be a few more hours." Josef hangs up.

Next Josef punches up Ryder's number. "Hey Josef. We have hours and hours of tape on these phones. Is there anything we should be listening for?"

"No. Send the tapes out to the house by currier. I'll go through them. Ryder, did you get the list of names I emailed you?"

"Yea, but Josef, man those names… I mean… those people are on the council."

Josef smiles grimly. "Yes, I know. I want complete financial portfolios on them, right down to the hidden accounts. I'm going to do this my way."

"Josef, there are a couple of names missing from your list."

Josef snorts. "Yes, but I already take care of their financials, so I know where all their money is. Ryder, Benedict is a very old friend of Vanessa's and she's my sire."

"Oh."

Josef smiles and wishes he could see the look on Ryder's face. "Do you think you can do this without letting anyone know your digging?"

"Of course. Josef, I hope whatever you are planning is worth it because if you play this wrong, we are all going to be in trouble."

Josef glances at Beth. "It is. It's for Beth."

Ryder smiles into the phone. "Understood. It's going to take some time. I'll call you as soon as I have it put together."

"Thanks Ryder. If we pull this off there is a big bonus in it for you."

"Thanks." He hangs up.

Several hours later the co-pilot once again enters the cabin. "Mr. Kostan, we are about a half hour out of LA X."

"Thanks."

Mick nods and Josef moves over to where Beth is sleeping. He wakes her. "Hey, we're almost home."

She nods and sits up. Once they land and the plane door is opened, they go down to the waiting cars. Mick and Josef shake hands. "Remember what I said. This is important. I'm expecting to see you in a couple hours."

"You will. I'll see you." Mick leans over and kisses Beth. "Thank you for agreeing to give me some time to work this out."

She nods and watches him go.

Josef looks down at her. "Are you going to be ok?"

Beth nods. "Yes, I hate that he has to go through this by himself."

"He's not whether he knows it or not. We'll get him through it somehow. Come on. Let's go home. There are lots of people who will be glad to see you plus one horse and even a surprise or two."

"When are you going to tell me everything that went on that I missed out on? What's happened that's gotten into Mick? Mick seemed very weird about that man you talked to before we left."

Josef sighs. "In a day or so. I need time to get the anger out of my system. You're going to be mad enough for both of us. I want to relax and enjoy having you home again, before the shit hits the fan is that ok?"

"Yes, as long as you're sure nobody is going to try that again."

"I'll tell you the truth. They might but not this time we will be ready for them."

Xxxxxxx

Beth is sitting in her office typing away at a story. She stares off into the distance trying to figure out what is wrong. Something is off and she realizes Josef was right. She'd better go tell him. She wanders into his study. "You were right."

He smiles and starts to give her a snappy answer about of course he is. He sees the look on her face and decides being right this time isn't such a good thing. "About what?"

He's gone, he's pulled away from me and he's shutting me out completely.

Josef gets up. "You know, it's been a couple of days. I told him I was going to go and have a scotch with him now and then. It's time."

"I'm going with you."

Josef shakes his head and puts a hand on her arm. "Beth, you gave him your word that you would let me handle this."

She knows there is a lot more than she thought of things he hasn't told her. "Josef, is this tied into what happened to me?"

"Yes, we need to talk about it when I get back." Josef turns and heads out the door dreading what might be waiting for him. A brooding introspective Mick is not fun.

Josef approaches the door and knocks. There is no answer. Josef tries the door and it's open. He investigates the dark house. He sees his friend sitting on the couch staring down at the picture of the three of them arm and arm. He'd forgotten it was on the wall. Damn should have had that removed. "Mick?" No answer. Not good. Josef walks over so he's standing in front of Mick. "Hey, I came down to have a drink with you. How's it going?"

Mick looks up at Josef. Josef sees yellow eyes and pain etched in Mick's face. "Damn you. You let that bastard get the better of you. I should kick your sorry ass." Josef goes into the kitchen and pours Mick a big glass of blood. He shoves it in Mick's hand "Drink this."

Mick looks down at the glass and then up at a very pissed off Josef. "I will sit on you and pour it down your throat if I have to." Mick knows he means it, so he drinks it up. Josef pours another glass and hands it to him. "More."

Mick drinks it down and Josef sees his eyes clearing the rest of the way. "Now go and get into the freezer and get some sleep. I'll be here when you wake up and we'll talk."

Mick trudges into the other room. Josef watches and waits a few minutes for Mick to get in his freezer. Josef follows to make sure Mick is in his freezer. Josef sees that he is and goes back and sits heavily on the couch. It doesn't look like he's eaten or slept since they got off the plane two days ago. _Dammit._

Josef punches up Beth's number. "He'll be ok. Beth I can't explain over the phone. Trust me. I'll be home when I get there."

Josef lies down on the couch to get some shuteye. He has a hunch this is going to take a while.

Beth paces the room trying to decide if she should go see what the hell is going on. She sighs in exasperation at Josef. He has put off talking to her about what happened when she ended up in New York. She agreed to give him a couple days, but she can sense that he's avoiding the whole discussion.

xxxxxxxxxx

Josef senses Mick is finally up and moving. It's been a good twenty-four hours. Josef hears the shower running. Good, hopefully he's coming out of his brooding. Josef pours Mick a glass when he hears him coming in from the bedroom. Wordlessly he hands him the glass and stands with his arms crossed until Mick drinks it down. Mick smirks at him. "Yes, mother."

"Well, if you weren't such a pain in the ass, I wouldn't have to nurse maid you. Are you at least done with the brooding?"

Mick nods his head. "The brooding, yes. Josef, tell Beth she can stop worrying about me, but I'm going to stay out of her head. I'll be fine and I promise not to do anything stupid."

Josef shakes his head. "You're going to hurt her. She loves you."

Mick smiles sadly. "I know, but I have to find out how I feel."

Josef looks at him quizzically "Why?"

Mick looks surprised.

"Seriously Mick, why do you care why you feel this good, can't you go with it?"

"You really don't care, do you?"

"No. Listen, I had this conversation with myself as well. I concluded the only thing that matters is that she loves me, and I love her. I don't care how I got there. I'm never going to be this happy again so why not enjoy it?"

"I have to know. Josef, twenty-five years, and it might be nothing more than an illusion imposed on me by others." Mick shrugs. "I have to know, and I hate to say it my friend, but you have to explain it to her."

"Shit. This is not something that is going to be fun. She's going to want to kill Damian with her bare hands."

"I don't envy you this, but I need you to do this for me. I'll talk to her once I figure out how I feel and what I want to do about it."

"Thanks. That will be a great comfort when she's crying on my shoulder." Josef eyes Mick for a minute trying to assess his intent. He smirks at Mick. "I'm hiding the Ferrari keys."

Mick smiles and nods "That's your trick not mine. I'll be fine."

"All right. I'm going to put this off for another day or so, if I can. I'm not looking forward to it. She'll be asleep when I get up to the house. I'll slip out for a bit and go check on things at the office."

Mick snorts. "You can't dodge her for long. Have you even talked to her about what happened in New York?"

"No. Something else I'm putting off. Mick, next time you feel like going off the deep end call me. Beth doesn't have to be part of it, but I can come and talk you down. No matter what happens, I don't want to lose you."

Mick claps Josef on the back. "You won't."

Josef nods and heads for the office.

Xxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **


	12. Chapter 12

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Beth lies in her freezer and reaches out to Josef with her senses and finds he's still gone. She's been sleeping in fits and starts. She wishes he would either call her again or get home. She needs to know why Mick is shutting her out. She gets up and goes in search of Josef. She's hoping when he got home, and she was too tired to hear him come in.

Beth finds Robert in Josef's study. "Robert, have you heard from Josef?"

Robert looks surprised. "Beth, he went into the office for a while. He wanted to check on things. He didn't say when he would be home. He didn't tell you?"

She shakes her head. She feels a hurt that he would take off and not come see her first. Then she realizes he's trying to avoid talking to her. "No" Beth paces back and forth for a minute and then turns to Robert. "When he gets home and asks where I'm at you tell him I've moved out."

Robert looks at her more than a little alarmed. "Beth, no he's got Mick living here for his own good. He'll go ballistic if you're not here. Josef has been known to shoot the messenger and I'm not in the mood to have to spend time in my freezer healing up. I have things to do."

She snorts. "I'm going down to the lake house. Even I don't want to push him that far. He would stake me if I left by myself. I'll leave him a note."

Beth starts to leave the room and has an idea. She turns back to Robert. "You know, what you could do, you could call him and tell him I'm packing. Ask him what the hell he did and then make yourself scarce."

"Ok. Is that what you're going to do?"

"Yep." And she turns and runs up the stairs to their bedroom.

Robert picks up the phone and calls Josef's cell.

"What?" Josef barks into the phone.

"No wonder she's packing, if you talk to Beth that way as well."

Robert looks at the phone in his hand realizing the line is dead. Beth comes down the stairs and she has an overnight bag with her. Robert relates his lack of a conversation with Josef. Robert smiles at her. "I'm pretty sure he's on his way home."

Beth nods. "Thanks. I left a note for him upstairs so you can take off or do whatever you need to do to stay out of his way. He'll see my car out front when he gets home, so he'll know I haven't gotten far. He shouldn't be too upset if he knows I'm still around somewhere."

Beth picks up her overnight case and heads for the lake house. She does some ruff calculations in her head. She figures even with the Ferrari Josef is still a good forty-five minutes away in LA traffic.

Josef jumps in the Ferrari and calls Robert back as he speeds out of the garage. "Don't let her leave the grounds. If you need to tie her up, she doesn't leave alone."

Robert smiles. "Josef, get home and take care of this." And he hangs up.

Josef looks at the phone and growls at the dead phone line.

Josef pulls through the front gate and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees her car still in front of the house. He looks inside as he passes to make sure she hasn't loaded it with her suitcases. He hits the stairs running, reaching out mentally for her as he goes. He stops at the top of the stairs when he realizes she's nowhere in the house. He continues to the bedroom to see if she's already packed. Josef looks around the room. Sure enough a few pieces of her clothing are missing and her overnight case. He finds a note taped to the mirror.

**Josef, I love you but until you stop pushing me away, and keeping things from me, I'll be sleeping down at the lake house.**

**Love you always, Beth.**

He lets out a sigh when he realizes she hasn't gone far, and this is something he can fix.

He changes into a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans and tennis shoes. Josef smiles. He has closets full of the most expensive shirts and designer suits. He needs to put jeans and a t-shirt on to make her happy.

Robert wonders in and leans against the doorway watching him. "Are you going to fix this?"

Josef smirks at him. "Yes, it won't be all that hard. Mick may have broken the connection with her, but I haven't. I could tell if she was really mad at me and she's not." Josef shrugs. "She wants some answers. Mick was right. I can only dodge her on this so long."

"Well, that's good to hear."

Josef claps him on the back. "Don't worry. This is something I can fix. Do you know if she took provisions?"

"She had me send some down, with a bottle of your favorite scotch, so yes the fridge down there is stocked. Is there anything you need?"

"No. That ought to about do it. I'll see you later."

Robert smiles and watches as Josef heads down to the lake house. _She really is the best thing that's ever happened to him._

Beth looks at her watch. Josef should be here any time. She looks up as she hears a knock at the door. She senses its Josef and opens the door. "Now why are you knocking?" she moves aside to let him in.

Beth can see the twinkle in his eyes. "Well, when you move down here, I figure I may not be welcome. I wanted to make sure before I waltzed in. Hate to have you stick a stake in me."

"Josef I'm not mad at you, and you know it. I'm frustrated that you won't talk to me about what happened, and you know I'm worried about Mick. You're keeping things from me and I don't like it." She caresses his face. "I love you too much for this to become a problem we can't get around."

He leans into her hand and closes his eyes for a minute. He realizes that Damian was wrong about one thing. There is no manipulation, conscience or unconscious about the way he feels about her.

Josef reaches for her and she moves into the circle of his arms. "I'm sorry. You'll understand when I explain why I may have had a few problems talking to you about what happened."

Beth smiles at him sadly. "Tell me about Mick."

"We need to start with the New York stuff and then you'll understand about Mick."

Josef takes her hand and moves to the couch. "You're right. It's time to talk about what happened. It was my fault and I didn't want to face you."

Beth looks at him in confusion. "How can it be your fault?"

"Because close to three hundred years ago they took me the same way. I should have seen it coming. "

Josef goes about explaining to her about Damian and Ramsey and their acolytes. Beth looks at him with absolute shock. Josef shakes his head. "It gets worse" and he tells her how they manipulated her, and Mick's lives since she was a child. Josef feels the anger radiating off her and tries to keep her anger from affecting him. He sees her eyes go crystal blue and her fangs drop. She's so angry she's involuntarily vamping out. She hasn't done that since she was a year old.

"Baby, you're going to give me a headache if you keep hammering me with that anger."

She takes a deep breath trying to contain her anger. She remembers the terror of her childhood at the hands of Coraline. "I want this Damian dead. I want his head on a platter. I want to spread the earth with his ashes. I want…"

Josef knows he needs to find a way to calm her down. He rubs soft circles in her back and concentrates on calming her anger. He takes a deep breath to calm himself and he snakes his arm around her waist and pulls her back into him. He feels her anger come down a notch as she relaxes against his chest.

He hears her breathing even out and sees her fangs retract. He smiles at her. "Better?"

She moves away from him. "Let's say, I've got it contained.

Josef winces. "That's not what I was aiming at. I don't want you to explode from keeping things inside. It's not healthy, even for a vampire. You need to learn to let off steam without it affecting the people around you."

He pulls her into his arms. "I'm sorry. I should have seen it coming and I should have protected you better. As for Damian, I know it's not going to be easy, but you need to let it go, for now."

She scowls at him as he continues. "Believe it or not Damian has his uses. You have every right to be angry and if you are dead set on it, I will kill him for you. He has been around a very long time, even compared to me. Between Mick and I, we could take him on and win. I want you to be sure it's what you want." Josef smiles at her. "Your wish is my command, my lady."

Beth smiles at him and sighs. "How about this. We'll table the idea of killing Damian for the time being but if I change my mind, we can talk about it again. So, is this Ramsey the reason that Damian and his people took me?"

"Yes, and as much as I hate to say it with good reason. There are few things that make me sicker than the thought of you in Ramsey's hands. He was a sadistic son of a bitch."

Beth hears the bitterness in his voice and decides to see if he will talk about it. "Josef, what did they do to you?"

He closes his eyes and leans back on the couch. He continues rubbing her back. "They tried to talk me into letting them teach me and I refused, so Frank and his team came and got me. As you know, I got five of them before Frank managed to get a stake in me."

"And then?" Beth prompts.

Josef peaks at her. She's watching him closely. "You are good, and Damian is right, you're going to be a very good asset to the community."

Beth looks at him questioningly and Josef continues. "I have never told anyone one this stuff but right now, I would tell you anything. It's not because I love you, it's because you want to know. I'm not sure I could refuse."

Beth's eyes get very big. "Josef, no… I'm not…"

"Baby, it's ok. I could still get up and leave, you make me not want to run from it anymore." Josef laughs. "You'd make a great vamp shrink."

"If you don't want to tell me you don't have to."

"No, it's ok. Once they got me locked up, they tried everything they could think of to break me, so I'd co-operate. I am, nothing, if not stubborn and was worse by a large measure in those days. It became a battle of wills and I held my own for quite a while. When nothing that Damian tried worked, he finally was overruled and had to let Ramsey try and get me to break. Well, after some time with his special attention I came up with a plan."

Josef stops for a minute trying to collect his thoughts. Beth starts to get up, thinking he's decided to stop, and he grabs her hand. "Please don't leave me." Beth nods and snuggles up next to him as he continues. "I finally gave Ramsey what he wanted. I let him think he'd broken me. He had to turn me back over to Damian to be taught how to use that vamp appeal as we call it. At the time, they thought I was special. I could understand humans and vamps alike in ways that they themselves can't. I know so much about what people are thinking, even stuff they are trying hard to hide." Josef smiles. "Don't tell Mick, he won't play poker with me anymore." Anyway, Damian taught me how to tap into it and use it to my advantage. As I've gotten older it's increased and the ability to compel humans and some vamps as gotten stronger." Josef smiles. "Unless they are like you and Mick. It never works on you two. Vanessa has a theory about that, but we'll leave that for another time."

Josef sighs and continues. "After I was done with Damian, they thought they had a very tame pet that would do whatever they wanted. I was going to be their star pupil. They got full of themselves and I got the knowledge I really wanted. They sent me to Frank who taught me what he does best, and that is to kill."

Beth nods. "He seems like a good man, but dangerous. Why does he continue to work for them? He and Vanessa should be together. They love each other very much."

Josef nods. "He is a good, but he's under the illusion that if he stays with the order, he can keep them in check and maybe he does. Maybe it would be worse if he weren't there, I don't know. I know that what he taught me was invaluable in keeping me alive all these years. I suspect that he knew what I had planned but taught me anyway. When he was done, I want off the reservation. I had the rest of them so fooled; they were so confident that they never saw it coming. I walked away and a year later I started killing them."

"How many?"

"No idea, baby, but I got my pound of flesh until it started to sicken me. So, one day, before I got to Ramsey, I stopped and walked away. They were so glad that they left me alone for the next three hundred and fifty years, and here we are today."

Beth realizes there is more. "Josef, I don't blame you for them taking me and you know it. There's more though, this isn't what you didn't want to talk about is it?"

"You are an empath with some telepathic abilities. You're a vampire you'll probably live long enough to someday develop kinetic abilities as well. Does any of that make sense?"

Beth nods. "Yes, I've wondered for a long time because of the way that I can feel you and Mick. You said it's not like this for everyone."

"I'm glad you understand. One of the things that empaths can do is manipulate the feelings of others. For instance, induce fear in an enemy…" Josef trails off.

Beth realizes where this is headed. "Or love in a friend?"

Josef nods. "I wasn't sure, and in truth I don't care but I wasn't sure I wanted to talk to you about it."

"Josef I would never make you do or feel anything…."

"I know, but you don't have a handle on what you can do. It's entirely possible for you to love me and induce the same feeling in me without meaning to."

Beth cocks her head and looks at him questioningly "So, come to any conclusions?"

"Actually yes, I love you and not because your messing with my head. It's more intense because of what you can do but I don't think it has anything to do with the basic feelings I have for you." He leans towards her and kisses her. "You mean everything to me because of who you are not because of what you are. Does that make any sense?"

Beth nods. "Yes, Josef it does. I feel the same way about you and Mick." Beth stops short. "Mick knows this too?"

Josef nods. "He got the gist of it when Damian was on the plane, Damian made sure of it.

"If you're thinking this I can only imagine where Mick's head is at. That's why he's shutting me out isn't it? He's brooding about this, about whether he really loves me or not."

"You know him as well as I do. He's having trouble dealing with this. Now he thinks his greatest act of heroism, risking it all to save the little girl was a manipulation to use him to keep you safe. That day, the day he saved you from Coraline has changed the way he lives his entire life. Now it's all been called into question. Mick's not one to let it go. He has to find out for himself how he feels."

Josef can see the tears threatening. "How was he when you left him?"

Josef shrugs. "Pretty good. He was a mess when I got there but I got him feeding and sleeping and it cleared his head some. He asked me to explain this to you and he promised to call me if he starts to go off the deep end again."

Beth nods and Josef watches tears start to drop off her lashes.

"Is there anything else?"

"Yes, and some of it is serious, but it can wait."

Beth starts to interrupt, and he stops her. "I promise this isn't an evasion. Both of us have had enough for one day."

Beth remembers he left Mick and the office. "When was the last time you got some freezer time?"

"A day and a half at least."

Beth nods. "Your right. If we can let this go until later, so you can get some rest."

Josef smiles at her. "Besides, I have a surprise for you later."

Beth's eyes light up. "Really? I think you need to tell me what that is."

"If I did that it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" He laughs at her. "It's almost dawn, why not come up to the house with me and get some rest."

"Will I get my surprise quicker that way?"

"No. Come on, your eyes are getting heavy. You need some rest as much as I do."

"It's your fault. I didn't sleep very well, while you were gone."

Josef leans over and kisses her. "I know and I'm sorry."

They walk up to the house holding hands and climb into Josef's extra wide freezer. Beth rests her head on his shoulder. Josef smiles as she finally falls asleep and follows her into oblivion.

xxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **

a


	13. Chapter 13

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Josef stretches and sits up flipping the top up on the freezer. He looks down at Beth and his eyes wash over her body, taking in all her curves. He sighs as he wishes he could stay here with her. Silently without waking her he leaves the freezer.

Later Beth sits up and realizes he's gone. _I'm getting tired of waking up alone. This is three times in the last three days. There better be an awfully good reason._ Beth gets up and goes into take a shower and gets dressed. She finds Josef in his study. He looks up and smiles. He can tell she's cross. He stands up and crosses the room to her. Beth takes his hand and he pulls her up into a deep kiss.

Josef looks down at her. "Am I forgiven?"

"I suppose. What's so important you had to get up early?"

He smirks at her. "You'll see. Breakfast first. Let's go down and see the girls. I haven't seen them in several days, let alone not going down since you've been home. I'm afraid things were pretty bad around here for a few days before we found out you were gone."

Beth looks at him questioningly "What did you do?"

"Uh... I let your anger at being taken to New York hit me. I was a bit nasty to be around and nobody knew what was going on, including me. I was drinking my meals out of a bottle because I was afraid, I was going to hurt one of the girls. Next time I'll know to check on you sooner."

Beth and Josef enter the pool area. Beth sees Emily and the two girls start chatting. Emily smiles at Josef over Beth's shoulder and he nods at her. "Beth, did Josef tell you he has a surprise for you?"

Beth giggles, "He mentioned it but won't tell me anything. Do you know what it is?"

Emily nods. Emily takes Beth by the shoulders and turns her to her right and Beth sees Henry sitting at poolside. "Henry!" Henry gets up and bows to her with a smile. Beth whirls around and quickly moves to Josef. She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him. "Thank you. I don't know how you managed it but thank you."

"I had to promise Jenny to bring you in to visit now and then personally. She didn't think I would agree. She was shocked when I did. So, when you live here, Henry stays and then he goes back to Jenny's when you go to live with Mick."

Beth laughs. "You agreed to go to Jenny's?"

"Yea, it's time. I should see what I'm missing when she steels a freshie from me."

Beth laughs. "Thank you. I love you."

"Your welcome. Now go have breakfast." And he swats her on the butt as she walks away.

Josef motions for Emily to follow him to the couch and she follows and sits on is lap. He sits in such a way to be able to see Beth and Henry but not have it be noticeable. He hears Emily whisper to him. "She'll be fine. Henry told me that she was a natural right off the bat. He's almost got her calm enough to start feeding from his neck. He doesn't understand it, but he says she's scared of taking blood from his neck."

Josef nods. "It's a holdover from when she was around Mick before he went back to freshies. She was still human, and he's made her see it as something dangerous because for so long he was afraid he would hurt her. She's probably terrified she will hurt Henry. I'll have a talk with her about it."

Josef watches Henry and Beth smiling and chatting. She takes his wrist and lets her vamp go and gently sinks her fangs in. She covers his wrist with her mouth and begins to drink. Henry leans back in the chair and relaxes as she feeds. Josef can see from Henry's expression that Beth is doing fine. Josef reaches out and listens to Henry's heartbeat and it's strong and regular. Josef turns back to Emily. "What do you think about having your brother around?"

Emily smiles at him. "Josef, Henry and I were separated for so long when we were in the system. It's wonderful having him here. I want to thank you as well."

Josef smiles. "Sorry about last week."

Emily shakes her head. "I understand, something had happened to Beth and you didn't know what it was. It's understandable. Josef, there you've always been so kind to us. I couldn't be mad at you if I tried."

Emily cocks her head and looks at Josef. "Can I ask you a personal question?"

Josef shrugs. "You can ask."

"What's it like having that kind of connection with someone you love?"

Josef tries to put it into words and finally shakes his head. "Amazing doesn't seem to cover it but it's the only thing that comes to mind."

Emily nods. "Josef, I'm glad for you."

He smiles at her and sweeps her hair from her neck. Josef sinks his fangs into her neck and has breakfast.

Josef finishes and lays Emily down on the couch. He looks around for Beth. Josef sees Henry dozing in the chair with Beth brushing his hair out of his eyes. She stands up and looks for Josef and sees him watching her. Josef pulls her into his arms and kisses her. "Come on. I have another surprise for you."

"Josef, getting Jenny to let Henry come here to live was enough. That's plenty."

"Well, this next one is sort of for both of us." Josef takes her hand and leads her out the front door and down to the barn where she keeps Smokey. They walk in and Beth notices a new stall has been built opposite Smokey's. She looks at Josef curiously and opens the upper part of the stall door. Inside the stall stands a beautiful Quarter Horse. "Oh, Josef, now you can go riding with me. He's beautiful."

"His name is Kingston"

Beth laughs. "It's funny to think about you riding."

Josef snorts. "Only because you don't think of me being four hundred years old. I know half the time it doesn't even enter your mind, does it?"

"No, you're right. I don't think about it much," she smiles.

"Well, I spent half that four hundred years riding horses."

"How did you manage to ride a horse back in the old days once you were turned? You said these horses have been raised special, so they won't freak out."

"The same has been done for a very long time. Mark Hudson's family has been raising horses for vamps for generations. I've known the woman and men up his family tree for a very long time."

Beth turns to him. "I love this surprise." She smiles at him mischievously and wraps her arms around his neck. "Your very hot, you know, that right?"

He snickers and nods. "This is going where?"

"Well, it's just that the sight of a man riding a horse is very sexy, very hot."

"Really? I'd never have guessed." He says this very dryly.

Beth sees the glint in his eye. "Let me guess, you already knew woman thought that."

"Well, yes. It's more so now that it's not the only mode of transportation, but it's pretty much always been that way. Must be something primal. Woman love that struggle between man and beast."

Beth giggles at him. "So, when can we go riding? I want to see you riding."

"I would love to today but..."

Beth makes a sour face at him. "Josef, please. I need this."

He turns and sees the look on her face. He sighs. "One of these days I'm going to learn to say no to you." He knows he would do anything to see her face light up with happiness.

Beth doesn't disappoint him. He can see how happy this makes her. "Thank you so much."

"You're welcome, but there is one condition. After we're done, we sit down and talk. We need to finish this." She nods in agreement. "Give me a minute and I'll saddle the horses."

She smiles at him. "I have a much better idea." She crosses the room and puts a bridle on Kingston and throws his saddle blanket over his back. "I assume anybody who rode a horse for two hundred years can ride bareback."

Josef nods. "Of course." He follows her out of the stable and hops up on his horse. Beth holds her hand out to him and he steadies himself and the horse as she swings up behind him. Beth wraps her arms around Josef's waist and snuggles in behind him, laying her head on his back. He feels her pressing into him. "Your right. Much better idea."

Beth smiles as Josef expertly guides the horse down the trail into the night. Beth glances around and sees they are headed around the lake. He stops when they get to the meadow that runs along the far shoreline. Josef drops Kingston's reigns and smiles at Beth over his shoulder.

Beth looks at him and sees the mischief in his eyes. "What are you thinking?"

"I'll show you. Back up so your sitting as far back as you can without falling off." Beth shrugs and moves back to the horse's hindquarters and watches Josef. In one smooth movement he swings his body around. He manages to end up facing Beth without knocking either of them off. She giggles. "You've done that before."

"Yea, but I have to admit, it's been awhile."

"So, now what?"

"Come here. I'll show you."

Beth scoots back towards him and Josef leans in and kisses her. Kingston shifts his weight from one leg to the other. Beth giggles as Josef grabs her hips to keep her from falling. "Josef, I'm not so sure that necking on the back of a horse is such a good idea."

He smirks at her "Nonsense. It's a great idea, develops co-ordination and balance." He leans into her again and kisses her deeply. Beth wraps her arms around Josef's neck. He holds on tight to her hips, so she won't fall and soon he's pulling her closer to him. He snakes his hands under her thighs and lifts her legs up and moves her closer so she's straddling him. "Wrap your legs around my waist. I think it's too much for even a well-trained horse to put up with what I have in mind." He smiles, throws his leg over the side and they slide down to the grassy ground. Josef still has his hands supporting her bottom. He gently bends over and lays her in the grass and flops down next to her. Beth rolls to face him. "I have a hunch this is going to be way more comfortable for what I have in mind."

"Is that so." He replies.

Beth snuggles close and begins to nuzzle his neck. "Oh yes."

Xxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **

c


	14. Chapter 14

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxxx

Josef punches up Frank's number.

Frank swipes across his phone. "Josef?"

"Frank, I need to talk to you about Beth."

"Is she ok?"

"Yes, she's fine but I've been thinking about her being kidnapped."

"You know I only did that because I was convinced it was necessary."

"Frank don't worry about it. You kept Ramsey away from her. I can overlook a lot for that. I want to tell Beth that if something happens to me or Mick and she needs help that she should call you. I don't think it could happen, but I want her to know that she has backup. If someone got their hands on one of us and something happens to the other, they could try and use us as leverage. She would do anything she was told. It's the way she and Mick are both wired."

Frank smiles. _Just like you._ "Josef if you can get her to agree she can always call me. She knows that I have a certain skill set that would be very useful if one of you were in trouble. Remind her of that. It might help."

"I'll do that. She's not crazy about you but she trusts Vanessa, so you get a pass because of it."

"You might also tell her I'm done working for Damian and that Vanessa and I have patched it up. We're back together. I'm not with her much right now because of Richard but we're working it out. Beth will like that."

Josef smiles. "We both do. Frank, I'm glad you're done working for Damian. As for Richard, I've got a few things in the mind, but it's going to take a little time. Why didn't you tell me why Vanessa stepped down from the head of the council?"

"You know why. It wasn't my place to tell you. It had to come from Vanessa. She said you were going to fix that. I hope you're not getting in over your head."

"Don't worry if I am, I'm taking a whole lot of important people with me and she will be the only one left standing anyway. Frank, take care and say hi to Vanessa when you see her. I've got to go."

Josef no sooner sets the phone down and it starts to ring. He sees it's Mick. "Mick? How's it going?"

"Pretty good."

Josef hears the hesitation in Mick's voice. "You're sure?"

"Well, uh, there is something I need to talk to you about."

Uh oh. The alarms are going off in Josef's head. "You want me to come down and have a drink?"

"Yea, that's a good idea. Are you doing anything?"

Josef thinks about it for a minute. "No"

"Come on down." Mick smirks into the phone. "I found a bottle of your good stuff. I'll break it out."

Josef looks down at his watch. "I'll see you in a bit." And he hangs up.

Josef finds Beth in the gym doing yoga. He stands in the doorway watching her twist her body around. She's got her eyes closed in concentration. She opens one eye and peaks at Josef. "You know standing in the doorway ogling me is distracting."

"He walks in a circle around her smirking. "Then wear clothes when you do that."

"I get too warm if I wear clothes. I like doing it in the buff. Besides I doubt it would matter if I had clothes on not."

"Good point. How long have you been doing this?"

Beth gives him a funny look. "About 15 minutes, why?"

"No, I mean do you do this often, once a month, once a week?"

Beth shrugs "I've done yoga off and on for years. I do it when the mood hits me. I do it because it feels good but also when I'm stressed, like now, it helps. It doesn't cure the underlying problem when I'm upset but it helps me sleep."

"You mean, to tell me, you have been in here doing this and I didn't know it?" _I'm going to put a trip alarm on the door, so I know when she's in here._

Beth giggles at him. "Sure, except the first year I was here. The turning made me too crazy to even do this. As you recall there was only one thing that really calmed my nerves."

Josef smirks at her. "I remember. Listen naked lady, I came down her to talk to you about something… shit…. oh yea… I got a call from the underlying problem." Josef crouches down next to her and kisses her. "Mick called and asked me to come have a drink with him."

Tears well up in Beth's eyes. She clenches her jaw and looks down and tries to keep from crying. "I'm sorry. Is he ok?"

Josef stands up and gives her his hand and pulls her into his arms. She leans into him trying not to cry. He looks down at her. "He sounded fine."

Beth looks up at him. "I wish I didn't feel like I was losing him. Josef, you know I want him to be happy. If I thought this was because he had found someone else that would be one thing. This feels like he's slipping away because Damian messed with his head and I hate that."

Josef doesn't quite know what to tell her. "I can't promise you anything, but I have a feeling that he will come out of this just like he has before, and it will be ok."

"Remember when we tabled the discussion of killing Damian?"

Josef nods.

"If I lose Mick, I want that son of a bitch dead."

"Let's give Mick some time, a year at least and see how it goes. Ok?"

Beth lets out a ragged breath. "Ok."

"I'm going down and as soon as I get back, I'll come find you and let you know how it went. Ok?"

Beth nods and Josef goes down to see Mick.

Josef approaches the pool house and opens the door to the house and wanders in. Mick is sitting on the couch. There is a bottle of scotch, two glasses and a bottle of fresh blood sitting on the coffee table. "Josef."

Josef watches as Mick pours him a scotch. Josef grabs the other bottle and gives the scotch a splash of blood. He tastes it and smirks at Mick. "Hey, good year."

Mick pours himself one as well. "Yea, yesterday."

"I meant the scotch." Josef shakes his head at Mick. "Did you know Beth does yoga in the buff?"

Mick smiles at the memory "Of course. Why?"

"Because I just found out. I can't believe she was doing yoga naked and I didn't know it. I may have spent more time in the gym if I had known that."

Mick laughs at him. "One advantage to a smaller living space. It was better when she was human. I could watch without her realizing I was there. Now that she's a vamp, unless she's in the right mood she chases me out of the room."

"But sometimes she does let you watch?" Josef asks.

"Yea, sometimes, actually, now that I think about it, more often than she chases me away. I think she has a touch of exhibitionist about her."

Josef nods. "Good. I'm going to put a silent alarm on the gym door, so I know when she's in there."

Mick laughs. "You would."

Josef watches him closely. "So, what's going on? You're not leaving town, again are you?"

"No. I've been down that road. Leaving never does any good."

Josef stares into his drink. "What then?"

"Uh… I'm going to start seeing other women."

Josef doesn't say anything he just pictures Beth's face when he's forced to tell her this. Josef stands up and turns to Mick. Josef smiles at him. "Stand up for a second, would you?"

Mick looks at him curiously. He shrugs his shoulders and complies.

Josef motions for Mick to follow him. "Come over here, I want to show you something"

Mick walks over to the center of the room. Faster than he can even see it coming Josef hits him hard enough to knock him out cold. Josef turns and walks back over and sits back down and wait for Mick to wake up. Mick sits up rubbing his jaw. "Dammit Josef, that hurt."

"Good. Do you know I can't even mention your name at home without having her break into tears? You're breaking her heart. Well, I'm not telling her this. You're going to do it and you need to do it in person and you can watch her cry. God you're a selfish son of a bitch."

"I'm selfish? How about you? You see other women when you two aren't living together."

"Yes, but she expects that of me. I've never changed the rules on her. She worries if I'm alone to long. This is who and what I am, and she loves me despite that. You are not me. She knows that no matter who I see or sleep with when she's gone, I'm still going to be waiting for her when it's time for her to come back to me. You don't do casual, at least in the last twenty-five years and she knows it. There are certain expectations that you need to live up to.

"So, I always have to be the good guy?"

Josef sighs. "Mick it's not even that so much. Look, if you had come up with this when things were peaceful, I'm sure she would figure you were lonely when she was gone. It would be fine. The problem is you've pulled this when you're already pulling away from her so she's going to be sure she's going to lose you."

Josef remembers what she said earlier. "She told me this afternoon that she wants you to be happy. If you left, her because you found someone else, she would be happy for you. The problem with this is she's losing you because Damian messed with your head and that isn't a good enough reason."

At the mention of Damian's name, Josef can see the anger in Mick's eyes. "You should have let me kill him; you should have helped me."

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Beth. When this is over, if you want Damian dead, if that's what you truly want you and I can take care of it. I want him left alive just in case we still have a use for him before this is over. Okay?"

Mick nods.

"Who the hell are you going to go out with? Most of the vamps in this town know you're a head case who's in love with Beth."

Mick looks down at his drink. "I thought I'd ask Victoria out."

Josef snorts. "Why don't you go out with Cassie? Hell, she's wanted to go out with you for ages."

"Yea, right Josef, just what I need, that little air head. As you pointed out, I like my women grown up."

"You have to tell Beth. You can't let her find out from someone else. You can't expect me to tell her or to keep it from her either."

Josef gets up and starts pacing. He needs to find a way to fix this for them. "You know what I don't understand?" He doesn't expect an answer, he continues. "I don't understand how after all you've been through together you can question how you feel about her. Let's look at this logically, shall we?" Mick smiles. Josef may as well be in the room by himself. "For whatever reason, twenty-five years ago you did the right thing. You saved a four-year-old from a very dangerous vampire." Mick watches Josef pace. "Again, for whatever reason you spent the next several years watching the child grow up. You made sure nothing else bad happened to her. How many times in all those years did you actually have to step in?"

Mick looks up surprised that Josef finally wants his input. He shakes his head.

"Never?"

"Never. Beth had an idyllic childhood after Coraline. Stuff happened to her, but never anything that required me to step in."

Josef continues. "Then six years ago you finally felt compelled to show yourself to her. When you made that decision were you near her?"

Mick shrugs. "No, I was watching Buzzwire and she was doing her first live cast."

"So, there isn't any way she could have compelled you to her presence?"

Mick rolls his eyes. "Of course, not and besides she was still human. I don't think she could have done any of that as a human."

Josef turns to Mick. "Ah, that's really the heart of it, isn't it? You're such an idiot."

Mick looks at him puzzled. "I don't understand?"

"All you do is analyze incidents, instead of looking at the big picture. You and I both know when it was Beth realized she was in love with you. It was after Shepard went after her and she remembered who it was that saved her as a child." Josef looks at Mick for confirmation and he nods. "It took you what, another six to nine months to admit to yourself that you loved her, let alone tell her?"

"But Josef, none of this matter because she was still human."

"Exactly. She was still human, and you loved her. You lived together for over a year before she came to me and asked me to turn her. It's the same for me. I fell in love with her a year before I turned her. If you loved her before she ever was a vampire, why in the hell do you question how you feel once she was turned?"

Josef watches as the light finally comes on above Mick's head. "I never thought about it that way."

"Because?" Josef prompts.

Mick looks at him with a smirk. "Because I'm an idiot."

"Very good. Now, can things finally return to normal? I'll send her over to see you."

"Josef... ah maybe that's not such a good idea."

Josef looks at Mick in exasperation. "You can't tell her everything is ok and not see her."

"Yea, but I should see her at the apartment... or let it go until she moves back in with me."

Josef rolls his eyes. "My God you grew up in a repressed time. We share this woman from one year to the next and you think I'm going to have an objection to you sleeping with her out of turn?"

Mick shrugs "Well, that and it is your home."

Josef snorts. "Mick, do you remember when I proposed this arrangement, how messed up you were from missing her?"

Mick nods.

"The only reason I suggested we work it out this way was because of you and Beth. You needed to be part of her life again right away, but she was too young for any other choice."

Mick squints at Josef trying to understand what he's getting at.

Josef lets out a huff. "You remember how dependent you were when Coraline turned you? It lasted, what, a couple year? As I recall even at that, you fought her every step of the way. You still had a terrible time resisting her for the first year, remember?"

Mick nods.

"Now think about how it would have been if you hadn't fought her. If you had wanted her to turn you and you loved each other very much. Think about what you would have done for her."

Mick smiles. "Anything."

"Which is the way it is for most of us. When I had to decide about our living arrangements with a fledgling that would do anything for me, this was the best solution. You remember how volatile she was? She was having a hell of a time dealing with her own emotions. It wouldn't have been fair to expect her to deal with both of us and our emotions at the same time. Especially when one of us has a few issues of his own to deal with."

Mick looks at him a little sheepishly.

"And I have to admit I was still fairly territorial about her at that point. Having her as my fledgling hit me hard because I was already in love with her. If she had been older and settled, like she is now I would have suggested that we all live together here."

Mick looks surprised at Josef who smiles at him.

"Why does that surprise you? Is it so outrageous that you would never even consider it?"

Mick gets up and starts to move around the room. "Of course, I would consider it. I'd love to live with her all the time." Mick smiles at Josef, "Even if I have to put up with you. Is this what your suggesting now? Have you talked to Beth about this?"

"It's something to think about. No, I haven't talked to her about it, but my guess is that Beth will be fine with it. If you want to talk to her about it, go ahead. Mick, we share her now, what is the problem?"

Mick shrugs. "I guess it's because we both love her so much. When it's year to year it's not really sharing like you and I have shared women in the past."

"Mick look it doesn't have to be that way either. Good grief it doesn't have to be a threesome on the front lawn."

Mick laughs.

Josef continues. "Well, shit. Sometimes, it's best to let things happen in their own good time. This whole relationship the three of us have has evolved in a way I would never have guessed. You know, I have my own self-interest in this as well. It would mean I wouldn't have to give her up after a year either. Think about it. If you don't want to move in, that's fine. We'll continue as we have. When this is over you go back to the apartment and you'll see Beth in a year." Mick scowls at him and Josef smiles to himself. "For right now though she needs to see you and make sure you're ok."

Josef starts to turn to leave and has an idea. "While you're talking to her about what an idiot you've been, you can take the opportunity to help her with something she's not doing too well with. This may come better from you than me, since you're the root of the problem."

Mick sighs wondering what other, stupid thing he's done to Beth.

"I took your advice and I brought in a male freshie for her. Only one but I thought it would be something special in the rotation for her. It's Henry."

Mick smiles. "I bet she loved that. She's very comfortable with Henry."

"Yes, but thanks to you, she's still biting wrists and nothing beyond that. She's afraid of hurting Henry or anyone else."

Mick sighs. "Yea, I wasn't sure if I should talk to her when she was with me or let you take care of it since you're her sire. The weird thing is she takes blood from my neck when we make love and I'm sure it's the same with you."

Josef nods. "Yes, but it's not the same as with a freshie. She knows she can't hurt us. It needs to be addressed. The problem starts with you. Your attitudes when she was human, and you wouldn't drink from her. It would be better if you explained to her why you told her it was dangerous."

Mick nods. "I'll try."

Josef nods. "Good. I'll tell her you want to see her."

Mick smiles. "I have a better idea. I'll concentrate and try and connect with her."

Josef nods. "That's good. I like that, she'll like that. Give me a little time so I can find her. I want to see how she reacts. You owe me for having to explain this to her in the first place."

"Yea, after you tell her to come see me, I'll explain and give you all the credit."

Xxxxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

Xxxxxxxx

Josef finds Beth in her office going through her research papers for a story. He watches her. "Do you have any idea how beautiful you are?"

She smiles at him sadly. "I love you too. How's Mick?"

"He's fine. He seemed like he was finally coming to terms with what he is feeling."

Beth watches Josef carefully. She can tell he's not telling her something, but she's not sure what it is. Beth starts to walk over to her desk. She stops in mid step and turns to a smiling Josef. "He's back… I can sense Mick again. He's not shutting me out anymore."

Josef nods. "He wanted to try this first and see if he could open up the connection even though you weren't expecting it." Josef takes her in his arms. "Beth, go see him."

Beth smiles at Josef. "You sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. I love you." He kisses her softly. "Now go."

Beth hears the soft jazz floating out of the pool house as she approaches. She sees the three sets of French doors open the curtains gently billowing in the breeze. She stands in the doorway. She sees Mick sitting on the couch in the semi-dark, a few candles flickering around the room. Mick stands up watching her. She's wearing a white muslin peasant dress. They watch each other from across the room.

Mick holds out his arms to her and Beth quickly moves across the room to him. He gathers her into a tight hug. He inhales her scent and it calms him. The warmth of her love fills him.

Beth leans back and looks up at him. "I missed you so much."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Mick, don't do that anymore, don't shut me out. If things are bothering, you I want to help you. Everything is ok now?"

Mick smiles. "Ah, well Josef gets the credit for making me see that what I was thinking couldn't be happening. I was being an idiot at he so aptly pointed out and showed me why. Beth, I'm sorry. You're right. The only way to make things better is to get them out."

Beth smiles. "You brought some of your CDs. I recognize this from home."

"A few. Would you like to dance? We could go out by the pool."

"Oh, that would be nice. I'd love to."

Mick takes her in his arms, and they move slowly to the music.

After a while Beth looks up at him. "You know this is one of my favorite things in the whole world, dancing with you under the stars."

Mick kisses her. He hears her softly moan and he pulls back and looks into her eyes. She can see the question in his eyes. She pulls him back into the kiss. She pushes his shirt up and runs her hands under it feeling his skin under her hands. He smiles into the kiss. He got his answer. He cups her bottom and pulls her tight against him. He feels the thin material under his hands and realizes that the dress is all she has on. It inflames his desire for her. "God. You're not wearing a stitch under that dress."

She shakes her head and smiles at him.

xxxxxxxxx

He smiles "We need to talk about a couple of things."

Beth smiles up at him. "Such as?"

Mick mentally crosses his fingers that he doesn't make this worse. "I think you misunderstood my reasons for being afraid of hurting you when you were human. Why I didn't want to drink from you, particularly your neck, for so long."

Beth narrows her eyes at him. "You've been talking to Josef."

Mick takes a deep breath. "Yes, he thought since I'm the one that gave you the wrong impression you would understand what I was afraid of, if it came from me. Beth, listen. I was afraid of hurting you because I wanted so much more from you than blood. I loved you and I was afraid because I had never fed from a human with those kinds of emotions bottled up inside of me. I drank from lots of freshies over the years and fed from their necks with no problems. I was afraid only because I wanted you so much. I was afraid if I let go, to make love to you, I would lose myself and hurt you. Listen to me, you are not going to hurt Henry."

He watches her and she looks hurt. "I'm not trying to make you feel bad. I want you to know that you don't have to be afraid to feed from a freshie's neck. You bite Josef and I both during love making without losing control. You can certainly do it with a freshie under normal circumstances."

He watches the fear on her face and kicks himself for traumatizing her with this when she was human. "Remember when we first made love and I fed first and we took it slow and everything was ok?"

She nods.

"You can do the same with Henry. Take it slow. You can feed a bit from a glass the first couple of times so you're not looking for a full meal. You could take small bits at first and then work up to a regular feeding."

She shakes her head.

"Please? You can do this. Remember when I was going to feed from Elaina?"

"Yes. But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Beth, I couldn't have done that without hurting her, if you hadn't helped me. If you can help me control my bloodlust when I'm hurt, how hard can it be for you to control your own?"

He sees her thinking about it. _Bingo_

"Ok, maybe I'll try it with you... sometime."

Mick begins kissing her neck. He nips at her collarbone. "Sometime?"

"You're bad and you don't fight fair."

"Baby, you can do this."

She nods at him. "Ok, I'll try it with Henry as long as you or Josef are around."

"Good. That's a start. Now one more thing to talk about."

"Mmmm does this involve more sex too?"

"Woman you are insatiable."

She giggles "ah, yea."

"For this one we need to put clothing back on."

Beth laughs at him "Really? Really? You want me to get dressed?"

He swats her bottom. "Yes, go put some clothes on and be good."

Beth goes to the dresser and comes out with a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. She always keeps extra clothes down here. She gets dressed and then she sees Mick is wearing his jeans and no shirt.

She smiles and starts to take off her t-shirt.

Mick grabs her hands. "What are you doing?"

She smiles mischievously at him. "Well, if you don't have to wear a shirt, why should I?"

"God I'm in love with a crazy woman. I'm not finished getting dressed. I was waiting for you to get done in the bathroom."

A couple minutes later Mick reemerges barefoot, with a pair of jeans and a t-shirt on. He walks over and pours them both a glass of AB negative and hands her one. "I need you to promise me that you will think about this for a minute and give me your honest answer. Don't think about hurting anyone's feelings. I need to know how you really feel about this idea."

"Uh, oh."

"What's that mean?"

"It means that whenever you and Josef start talking about how I really feel, you're about to change my world. This better be a change for the better. I'm not in the mood for anything else."

Mick shrugs. "We'll see. Josef asked me what I thought about the three of us living here all together. He told me to think about it. I need to know what you think about it."

Beth stares at him with no indication of what she's thinking. Mick waits and watches her trying to gauge her reaction. She watches him pace around the room waiting for her answer. Not being able to wait any longer he turns to her. "Well?"

She laughs, "You said to think about it. I'm not done thinking. Let me see. Do I want to live with two gorgeous, men who love me as much as I love them and make me feel like I'm living in a fairytale… let's see… hhhhmmm… wow tough decision…. I don't know."

As soon as Mick realizes she's teasing him he breaks out in a big smile. "You'll pay for that." And he makes a lunge for her but just misses. Beth laughs and runs out the door with Mick hot on her heels. She laughs and dives into the pool. As soon as she hits the water, she strips off everything but her t-shirt. She turns and throws her shorts at Mick. He dodges the wet clothing. Stands on the edge of the pool watching her glide through the water in nothing but a clinging t-shirt. She's so beautiful. Her body almost glows in the soft pool lights. Mick groans and strips off his clothes and dives in after her.

Beth laughs and watches as Mick flops down on the ground next to her. They lay there for a little while watching the stars.

Mick turns to her. "So, if I decide to move in here, it's not a problem for you?"

"Hardly. You know how hard it is for me to say good-bye to one of you. I would be happy not to ever have to do that again, but you need to do it if it's what you want. Don't do it to make me happy."

Mick nods and gets up. He takes Beth's hand and pulls her up. "Let's go back to that soft bed." And they move arm in arm to back to the pool house.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome. **


	16. Chapter 16

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play**.

xxxxxxxx

Mick sits in the moonlight. He's sitting at a table by the side of the pool. He's thinking about the choice he needs to make. He looks at the pool and in his mind's eye he can see Beth sitting on the side in her wet t-shirt from a few nights ago. He smiles at the memory. True enough he would very much like to live with Beth all the time, but he can't live here. He sighs with resignation that he is not going to be able to live with them. Mick is so deep in thought he doesn't sense that Josef is walking towards him. Josef has a bottle in each hand and a couple glasses tucked up under his arm.

Josef stands on the outskirts of Mick's vision and watches him. He can see he must have broached the subject of the three of them living under one roof too soon. He'd watched Mick the last few days after he gotten back on track. Josef could tell by Mick's melancholy attitude that he is going to say no. He thought Mick was ready but apparently not, but Josef needs to know why not. He approaches the table and clears his throat and then laughs when Mick jumps. "Good grief. For a vamp you have a lousy sense of your surroundings."

Mick looks at him ruefully. "Deep in thought, but then you knew that. As I recall that's how I ended up staying in your pool house in the first place."

"Yes, I guess it is. Mind if I sit? I brought refreshments." Josef holds up the two bottles and sets down the glasses.

"Of course not."

Josef pours them each a glass and slides Mick's across the table to him. Josef sighs. "So then, I guess the answer is no."

Mick shrugs not wanting to voice it out loud. He hates to say no. He hates it when she leaves.

Josef smiles at Mick "At least tell me why. I mean, I thought you were as tired of saying good-bye to her as I am." Josef looks at him warily. "Enough to even put up with me or I wouldn't have suggested it."

"Josef, none of that is the problem. You're right. I hate it when she leaves, even enough to put up with you." Mick smiles at him sadly and continues, "I can't live here."

Josef shakes his head. "I don't understand. If it's not me, then what is it?"

"Josef, it's stupid and childish."

"Well, there is no way in hell you can leave it at that. I was a little curious before when I thought I was the problem but now I'm completely in the dark. Come on, Mick, talk to me. At some point you're going to have to talk to Beth, so you might as well practice on me."

Mick smiles at Josef, "Yea, but talking to Beth can be so much more fun."

Josef smiles back. "Don't I know it."

The two men sit and watch the night. Josef wonders if this is one-time Mick can wait him out. Josef gives a mental shrug and decides that maybe it's something he and Beth are going to have to deal with.

"Ok, you win." Josef scoots the chair back and starts to stand.

Mick holds up his hand. He looks in his drink as it swirls in the glass. He throws the last of the scotch down in one gulp and then looks back at Josef. "It would feel weird living here… like I was freeloading. At least when Beth lives with me, I provide for both of us for the most part. She banks her paychecks and lets me provide for her. She knows it's important to me know matter how stupid it is. Now you can tell me how childish and antiquated it is."

Josef sits back and thinks about this. "Mick, how many times have you cleaned up messes for the community in the last year without any real compensation?"

Mick shrugs.

"Well, you may not keep track, but I do. So far this year it has been fifteen rogues, and seven more various threats that you took care of. As I recall you got little more than a headache for your trouble."

"You help me out when I need it. It works out in the long run. Hell, you take care of my investments or I'd be broke."

"Yes, and your investments take me about 30 minutes every couple of weeks. Does it even out? We're not talking personal favors for me; these are things that affect the wider community. I would agree with you if we are talking about something specifically for me, but we're not."

Mick shrugs "It's what I do."

Josef smiles. "Yes, it's what you do, and you do it well. I guess I can't call you to do any of those things anymore."

Mick turns to him. "Come on Josef, you know that's not true. Just because I don't want to live off you doesn't mean you can't call me when you need to."

"Well, of course I can still call St. John Investigations. I can make an appointment to see you and I can tell you what I need. Then I can pay you the going rate, in vamp terms not human, which is a lot more for what you do. What I can't do is call you in the middle of your freezer time and growl at you when something is driving me crazy. What I can't do is bitch and moan about how stupid people are. What I can't do is expect you to listen to me going on one of my rants about the stupidity of humans."

"I knew you wouldn't understand."

"Oh, I understand. You don't mind me owing you, but your pride won't let me do something for you."

"Josef, that's ridiculous and not true. We are friends and you know it." Mick sighs. "But maybe you're right. Maybe I don't mind having you owe me one or two. The fact remains I can't live with you and Beth if it means I'm sponging off you."

"It's ok for me to be a sponge but you're too good for it." Beth says as she walks out of the shadows. Josef knew she was there, but Mick is so distracted Josef wasn't sure if Mick knew she was there or not, apparently not.

Mick puts his head down on the tabletop. This conversation is getting out of hand.

Beth walks towards the table and stands next to Josef who pulls her down into his lap.

Josef snorts "Boy, you really are off your game if thumper here can sneak up on you."

"Hey, who are you calling thumper?"

"Baby, you are the noisiest vampire I've ever met."

Mick still hasn't looked up.

"I am not."

Josef laughs. "Are too. Mick is too nice to tell you. You couldn't sneak up on a ninety-year-old deaf woman."

"Mick that's not true, is it?"

Mick sneaks a peak at her and smiles. "Ah, can I take the fifth?" Beth shakes her head. "No? Well, you are kind of noisy."

And he puts his forehead back down on the table. Beth wants to pout but decides she'll make them both pay for it later. She knows Mick needs to get this out now.

Beth reaches across the table to him. "Mick talk to me. Please tell me this isn't about money."

Mick shakes his head. "No, I guess it's not, at least not entirely, but I still can't live here."

"Come on, you said you'd talk to me."

Mick looks over her shoulder at Josef. "Do you remember the last time I lived here?"

Josef thinks about it for a minute. "Oh shit. Sorry about that. I forgot."

Mick shakes his head. "Josef, I can't live here again. It's one thing to stay for a week or so but not long term. It's too much."

Beth looks back and forth between them "Ok, guys enlighten the new kid."

Mick takes a deep breath. "In the weeks leading up to your kidnapping, we had moved in here while Josef was in Europe. We'd gotten back together again for whatever painful reason."

Beth can hear the pain in his voice. "I was still living here when she took you and your mom came to the office for help." Mick glances at Josef warily. "I'm sure the thought was, in different surroundings I would finally accept my circumstances. It did the opposite. It gave me the strength to send her packing and that's when she took you. It was the worst period of our marriage, uglier than you can imagine. Josef, do you remember what this place looked like when you got back?"

Josef nods at the memory. "Yea, vamp blood doesn't come out as easily as the human variety. I was afraid of what would happen, but it was worth a shot. You notice none of the expensive pieces were left out and I took the girls with me. I didn't give a shit about Coraline, but I was looking for a way to save you from yourself. I thought if you were out of her party house she might settle down and stop tormenting you."

Josef looks at Mick sadly. "Until Beth came a long, I never knew from one day to the next if we would be burying your body for good."

Beth picks up the newspaper off the table and she starts hitting them both with it. "I can't believe you two didn't tell me this." She's clearly upset. Josef takes the newspaper from her hand. He puts a protective arm around her, and she puts her head on his shoulder trying to get her emotions under control. She turns back to Mick. "I'm sorry. I had no idea. Josef, we need to get this Richard thing taken care of so Mick can go home." She turns to Mick. "I'm surprised you ever set foot here again."

Mick looks at her wanly. "I didn't for several years. I would see Josef often, but we would meet at Jenny's or his office. In fact, if Josef had suggested I stay anywhere but the pool house I would have dug my heels in and said no. It's just been in the last fifteen years or so that I could finally start coming back here again. She was such an overwhelming nasty piece of work. She tainted so much of my life and perspective for so long that I don't want any lasting reminders."

Mick takes a ragged breath. "And as long as I'm baring my soul to the two of you. There is one more thing."

Beth takes his hands again. "Keep going."

"When you live with me for a whole year, I can put it out of my mind that you're not with me permanently. You know, for that year, for that time, you're with me and everything is prefect. I would like to live with you permanently but I'm not sure…" The three of them sit in silence.

Josef finally breaks the silence. "I have several houses. Where we live is not a problem. In fact, I'm due to buy a new house anyway. I usually buy investment property when the market is like it is now; it's just good business sense. So that's not a problem."

Mick shakes his head. "I can't... you can't… Beth's horse and her place by the lake…. You can't…." Mick trails off.

Josef holds up his hand "In this price range, believe me it's not tough to find a place with stables and nice servants' cottages. They can easily be converted. In fact, now that we have the horses in mind it would be nice to have something with more acreage to ride on. Now let me finish, there's more. It's time that I put you on retainer for the community; I should have done it a while ago." Josef smiles. "It doesn't mean I won't hesitate to ask you for personal favors, but the other has to stop. The papers have been drawn up for a long time, but I never got around it. No matter how this comes out that needs to be attended to. You have a right to be compensated for the work you do like anyone else. If you decide to move in, I will cut a certain percentage off the top for your living expenses. You and I can talk about how much later if that's what you decide. If you move in, I'm going to have to employee at least an additional five freshies and those girls are not cheap. As for Richard that problem is a few days away from kicking up into high gear. He shouldn't be any more of a problem a week to ten days from now."

Mick smiles at him "If I'm on retainer you get to call in the middle of freezer time and rant about the human condition?"

Josef nods.

"Good. I'd miss that."

Josef slides out from under Beth and lets her sit on the chair. He stands and looks at the two of them. "So that takes care of the first two problems. I can't do anything about the third. That's something you two have to work out together." Josef looks down at Beth with so much sadness. He knows if push comes to shove, he's lost her.

Beth watches him go and turns to Mick. "You know he thinks I'm about to leave him."

Mick smiles at her sadly. "You aren't though, are you?"

Beth shakes her head. "No, I'm not. Nothing could make me leave either of you. One or both of you may leave me for whatever reason but I'll never leave either of you. It needs to be your choice. Mick, we can always stay with the year-to-year arrangement. It's been fine so far, has it?"

"Yes, but… I'm not sure that what we have now is enough anymore. Beth we both want to live with you all the time.

She takes his hand. "Then give it six months. The three of us will go house hunting. We'll look at the houses Josef has or a new one and find something that suits us and then try it for six months. That's all I'm asking for is six months. Please?"

Mick smiles at her "Okay, six months and if it doesn't work, we'll talk it over again. Maybe go back to the old way if there are no other options. I can't lose you either." He smiles at her. "Maybe living with you all the time will be more than anyone can stand."

Beth laughs and swats at him. She comes around the table and sits in his lap and kisses him. "Thank you. Can we go tell Josef? I don't like the way he left here."

Mick nods. "Yea, let's go find him."

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Josef looks down at the ringing phone and smiles when he sees who's calling. "Do you have it?"

"Every bit. You're going to be very pleased with the results."

"I'm sure it will be interesting reading. I can't wait. Thanks Ryder."

A few days later, Josef lays the five financial portfolios out on his desk. He looks each one over carefully again to make sure he has covered every possibility. He smiles and laughs out loud at how stupid supposedly smart people can be.

Beth walks into his study finding him grinning from ear to ear. "Ok, I know that look. Somebody is going to wish they had never crossed you."

Josef nods. "You've got that right. I love a challenge, and this is going to be great. I'm going to take care of Richard and make buckets of money at the same time."

She smiles at his enjoyment. "Tell me about it."

"Like the old song says, Money makes the world go around. That's true for humans and as true for Vampires. The bulk of anyone's power is based on money in both worlds. Take away the money and you've taken away most of the power. In Richard's case he will lose more than most, because people aren't loyal to backstabbing egomaniacs like him. In fact, they tend to want to give him a taste of his own medicine by shoving him into traffic."

Josef waves his hand across his desk. "What I have here is the financial portfolios of every member of the council, except Benedict and Vanessa. Let me tell you, they should have let me take care of their accounts like I offered years ago. They didn't want me to have that kind of leverage but I'm going to have it anyway. I've put a few things in motion that shouldn't take long to get results."

Beth laughs and shakes her head. "I have to admit it's fun watching you enjoy your work so much." She walks over and stands next to his chair and leans down to give him a kiss.

He smiles and pulls her down into his lap. "I'm glad it makes you happy and I'm very glad you're not leaving. Do you think Mick will be happy once we move?"

Beth kisses him. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Mick. One or both of you may leave me but I'll never leave either of you. I can't imagine anywhere I would rather be but with the two of you. As far as Mick being happy, well part of that is up to him. He can only be as happy as he lets himself."

Josef kisses her hard and Mick walks in and sits on the couch smiling at them. "And so far, I'm happy. I'm sort of warming up to the whole moving thing pretty well."

Josef nods. "Good."

Beth starts to get up off his lap and the phone rings. Josef hugs her in tight and looks at the caller I.D. "Oh, please stay. I'm so glad you're both here for this." And he laughs.

Beth and Mick look at him puzzled as he prepares to answer the phone.

Beth shrugs and gets comfortable laying her head on his shoulder watching him. Josef looks at Mick and Beth. "Well, folks here we go. The beginning of the end of Richard."

Josef answers the phone using the speaker.

"Hello Arthur. Nice to hear from you."

"Josef, I need your help. I've been informed that I'm bankrupt. Josef, how can this happen? I can't lose everything. I'll lose my council seat if this gets out. No one can know. You have to help me."

"Arthur calm down. What do you mean you're bankrupt?" Josef flashes a smile at Beth, and she grins.

"I don't know. My accountant informed me that somehow, I've been wiped out. I have nothing. Josef, you have to help me."

"You know I always like to help the council members if I can, but I'm kind of busy right now. Someone is trying to hurt Beth and her safety has to come first."

"Josef, my understanding is that she was taken by Frank for her protection from Lance and Ramsey. Someone sent a picture to my office this morning that proves that Ramsey has been taken care of. I'll check on Lance if you like."

"Arthur, Lance isn't a problem, he never was. What your saying is all true about Ramsey but what you don't know is that he had a backer that wants Beth dead. Until I take care of that, I can't concentrate on anything but making sure she's safe."

"Who is this idiot? I'll take care of your problem and you take care of mine."

"Arthur you're not going to like it. It's Richard."

Josef smirks and starts counting in the air with his fingers as they wait for the wheels to turn and Arthur to catch up. When Josef hits five Arthur speaks. "So, you've come after me?"

"Not exactly. I need the council's undivided attention, and this is my way of getting it. Everyone on the council is in the same predicament that you are Arthur. Except of course for Benedict and my mother."

Arthur squeezes his eyes shut. "Josef, what you've done…. if this gets out… there could be terrible repercussions. The council could have all new members, untrained." Arthur sighs. "Josef what do you want?"

"It's very simple. I've gutted Richard financially. All he has left is the money in his pockets. I will give the rest of the members their wealth back and then it will become known that Richard is broke. You will vote him off the council since he has no money or power and you will vote Vanessa back in as head of the council."

Arthur snorts. "I suppose you want a seat on the council as well."

Josef laughs with genuine amusement. "Arthur you couldn't pay me to sit on the council. No, I'm very happy out here in L.A. running the west coast and my parts of Asia. I wouldn't have it any other way. I don't care who you put on in the empty seat. As long as it's someone who understands that I'm a firm believer in live and let live."

"Josef, I'm sure something can be arranged."

Josef continues "Once Vanessa is back in place, I will liquidate Richards assets. I will split it between the council members and myself. A percentage off the top will go to Beth and Mick for all the unnecessary stress this has caused them. Believe me it is a sizeable amount even split eight ways."

Both Mick and Beth look at Josef in surprise.

Arthur smiles. "Leave it to you to get what you want and make everyone around you want to help. Josef, when this is done, you might as well take over my accounts. I'm not safe from you anyway and I've seen what you've done with Vanessa's money."

Josef smiles. "Good idea, Arthur. Call the other members and get the wheels moving. I'm not going to wait long, and we wouldn't want this to get out. Like I said, I will do anything to keep Beth safe. Oh, and Arthur you tell them if they have any inkling about coming after me or my people, I will make the last time look like a walk in the park. I'm quite sure that Mick would be more than happy to help me."

Mick smiles a dead smile at Josef and nods.

Beth sees it and gets a chill down her spine. She's accepted that Josef has that side of him, but she doesn't want to know if Mick does.

"You see Arthur it's even better than the old days. Now I have Mick to help me, a base of operations and people more loyal to me than any of you. Imagine the damage the two of us could do." Josef hangs up.

Beth smiles and hugs him tight. "Thank you. I know you did this for me."

Josef nods. "I did but I also am making things right for Vanessa. She resigned as head of the council to protect me, it's only right I put her back in place. Now, I have to put the council members money back."

"How long will it take for them to oust Richard and what do you think he will do?"

"It will probably take them till the end of the night tomorrow. What Richard does and how long he survives is up to Richard." Rubbing his hands together and grinning Josef asks. "Anybody up for a trip to New York?"

Xxxxxxxx

**Comments are always welcome.**

k


	17. Chapter 17

**Moonlight doesn't belong to me. It's just a place I go to play.**

xxxxxxx

Richard paces the floor of his penthouse. He's gotten word that there has been an emergency meeting of the council called. "Damn it. I'm the head of the council. Where do they get off calling an emergency meeting?"

His assistant smiles to himself. Stewart has been around the council for a very long time. He was the assistant to Vanessa and her predecessor. He knows when the shit is about to hit the fan and he can't wait for Richard to catch it.

Stewart clears his throat and turns to Richard. "I'm sorry sir but they have a quorum. There is nothing you can do about it. The car is downstairs waiting. Would you like me to get your suit jacket for you?"

Richard starts to snarl at Stewart to get it when Richard's phone begins to ring. Stewart goes to the desk to wait for Richard to finish. What follows, Stewart wouldn't have missed for anything.

Stewart watches Richard and he could swear that he saw the vampire turn even paler than normal. Richard involuntarily gulps twice and then he slams the phone shut. "I'll find a way to get that son of a bitch for this." Richard growls. Stewart watches as Richard slams out of the penthouse. Stewart smiles and calls for a car for himself.

Richard sits in the limo and tries to decide how to play this. Indignation isn't going to cut it. If he's truly broke and there is no reason to think he's not, then Josef is behind it. If Josef is behind it then the council knows full well, he's broke so they are calling this meeting to unseat him. He can do one of two things. He can go to the meeting and let them unseat him, which he has no way of fighting. He is sure that Frank and any other muscle they need to enforce it will be in attendance. Or he can try to get to California and do what he should have done in the first place. He can get his hands-on Josef's woman and make Josef return his money and then kill her.

Stewart arrives at the building that houses the council's meetings. He hates this building, all the metal and glass. This was Richard's idea to bring them into the present. They could have retro fitted the old building at least it was brick and mortar.

Vanessa looks around the room and wonders why this meeting is being called. She doesn't see Richard anywhere, just Arthur and the other three members. Everyone looks rather happy and smiles brightly at her. Something is going on and somehow, she has a hunch Josef is behind it. Well, she will know soon enough. The meeting should be called to order any time now, with or without Richard.

Vanessa crosses the room when she sees Stewart enter. "Stewart, where is Richard, isn't he with you?"

Stewart shakes his head. "He got some distressing news and slammed out of the penthouse. I haven't seen him since."

Vanessa looks at Stewart closely. She knows him well; he serves whoever is head of the council and they were good friends when he was her assistant. "Stewart, I don't want to pry into Richard's business, but do you know what his distressing news was?"

Stewart smiles slyly at her and shakes his head no.

Vanessa knows right away he's lying. She also knows that if he is lying to her it's for a good reason. She decides to let it go and see where this meeting ends up.

Stewart stands at the head of the table and everyone moves to their usual seats. "Ladies and gentlemen, you called this meeting but I'm afraid it seems that the council head is unable to attend. You will have to continue on without him."

Vanessa looks up and Frank is at one door. Then she sees the head of the council security at the other door with a full complement of men in attendance. Vanessa realizes whatever it is they are prepared for trouble.

Then she spots Josef, Mick and Beth slipping in past Frank.

Richard decides he will go to the airport. He knows he can't use the council's private plane, but he can buy a ticket like a common human. It will not be pleasant flying under those circumstances, but he needs to find a way. He needs to get to California. He looks up to tell the driver to take him to the airport and sees the driver talking on the phone. The man is glancing back over his shoulder at Richard. Before Richard can stop him, the man pulls over to the side of the road. He pulls the key from the ignition and gets out. He disappears into the theater crowd. Just like that the man is gone.

There is only one reason for this behavior. Richard's money troubles have become public knowledge. He opens his wallet and sees the usual five hundred dollars he carries. He is so used to using his credit cards that he never carries much cash. He could take a cab to the airport, but he would never get a ticket all the way to California. Even if he took a ticket from someone, the way the security is these days he would never get on the plane. He looks out the window of the limo and realizes dawn is a few hours away. He decides to get the money however he can and take a flight out the next night.

Vanessa watches everyone around her. Whatever is happening, everyone knows but her. She's getting frustrated at being kept out of the loop. She is toying with the idea of doing a little digging around in someone's head when the meeting is called to order.

Arthur stands up. "Being as our head of council has decided he has other things more to attend to, I will chair the meeting for the moment. It has come to my attention and I'm sure to some of you, have no doubt heard that Richard is having financial troubles. He is completely broke." Vanessa can see the laughter playing at the corners of Arthur's lips. He's never liked Richard. Arthur was one of the ones that tried to keep her from resigning to protect Josef.

Arthur continues, "I have confirmed these to be more than rumors. He is indeed broke, completely wiped out. This makes him and the council vulnerable to usurpers and pretenders we must act swiftly. We must remove him from the leadership and elect a new head of council."

Vanessa watches in amusement as they first unseat Richard in a unanimous vote. Then elect her to return as head of the council. She shakes her head in at the wise decisions she made so long ago to turn Josef. He is astonishingly resourceful. She's not sure she ever wants to know how he managed this. The bankrupting of Richard was probably child's play for him. Getting the rest of the council in line must have taken some interesting footwork.

Frank smiles across the room to her and she nods slightly to him. She wonders how much of this he knew was coming. She realizes that none of them are safe yet. There are a couple more things to attend to. Now that Richard is not a political problem, she will take care of him first.

When the meeting finally comes to close Stewart and Edgar, the security chief faces her. Both men bow before her. She senses that both men are genuinely happy to have her in charge again. Stewart smiles. "I have been asked to tell you, by the council's staff that we are once again glad to be of service to the Lady Vanessa."

Vanessa smiles at the two men. "Gentlemen if you bow to me again like that, I'll take both your heads. You know how I feel about that custom. Yes, ma'am will do fine."

"Yes ma'am." They answer in unison. The three of them laugh.

Frank watches from across the room as the rest of the council members congratulate her and wish her well. When everyone has filed from the hall, he and Beth approach the table. "May I sit with you my lady?"

Vanessa snickers at him. "Now don't you start."

Beth comes out from behind Frank and gives Vanessa a hug. "Congratulations."

Frank sits and faces her "Vanessa this has been a long time coming. I'm glad things are back to the way they should be. If I had known that Josef could act this fast, I would have told him the truth myself, years ago."

Vanessa shakes her head. "No, I think it was something that had to happen just in this way. Everyone was in the right place at the right time for it to all come together. There are still one or two problems that need to be attended to." Vanessa frowns "Where did Josef and Mick get to?"

Beth and Frank exchange a look. Frank shrugs. "They went to take care of that problem that needs attending to."

Vanessa stands up. "NO. This is something I will take care of. I let you and Josef talk me out of it before because it was a political problem. It's not anymore. I should be the one to do this. Does Josef think I can't handle Richard?"

Frank sighs. "No, he knows you can. Josef wants to do it. Richard went after his family." Franks smiles at her. "I can't imagine where he gets that attitude from."

Vanessa flips open her phone. "Angel, I would like you to keep your eyes open for Richard. Call me as soon as you see or hear from him."

Angel smiles into the phone. "Yes, ma'am." And hangs up.

Angel turns to Josef. "She's mad. I could hear it in her voice. Josef, I'll call you if I see Richard, but I have to call her first." She smiles at Josef. "Of the two of you I'm way more afraid of her than I am you."

Josef smiles. "No problem. Just make sure you call me too."

Richard walks the streets of New York trying to decide the best course of action to get to California. Then he can choke his money out of Josef. He knows that's who cleaned him out. He can't believe it's all gone. All the money, the wonderful power, no more pliant freshies at his beck and call, everything taken from him. He racks his mind to think who he can get ready cash from and comes up empty. Most of his supposed allies aren't vampires who are going to be sympathetic to him now that he's broke.

He decides he better find a place to sleep. Hell, he can't even go back to his beautiful Penthouse. He cuts across the park to see about a meal at the same time. He finds a clearing in the deepest darkest part of the park and senses another vampire. He turns and looks behind him. He sees Vanessa watching him like a cat watching prey. He knows that look. He's seen it on his own face a time or two.

Vanessa laughs. "You are such a fool. It never had to come to this."

Richard snorts. "Josef would have challenged me for my seat. Because of his alliance with his two friends, I wouldn't have been able to stop him. I tried to stop them from ever getting powerful enough to do it."

Richard turns as he senses two more vampires. "Richard, Vanessa is right. I would never want a seat on the council. I'm happy where I am. I have all the power I need. Hell, look how easy it was for me to take you apart."

"I don't believe you."

Vanessa shakes her head. "That's because you're a back-stabbing troll who can't believe that other people aren't as greedy and arrogant as you are. It ends here."

Vanessa watches him go into a fighting stance and she laughs. "You're such a stupid fool."

Mick leans against a tree as Josef enters the clearing. "Let me take care of this idiot. He did come after my family."

Vanessa shakes her head. "Beth is my family too. I should get to do this."

Richard looks from one to the other as they argue over who is going to kill him.

Josef shrugs. "I actually don't care which one of us does it, but I want this son of a bitch to suffer." He turns to Richard. "Did you ever think for one-minute what Ramsey would have done to Beth if he had gotten his hands on her? Did it ever matter that he would have made her suffer imaginable horrors?"

Richard stares at him blankly. There is nothing to be said to Josef's anger and fear for Beth.

Richard sees the smile on Vanessa's face and feels the cold hand of an ending death against his throat. "Richard, I'll tell you a little secret. I work with my abilities. I'm always trying to learn things, to stretch and get the most out of them. Not only am I a telepath but I also have a few other talents that not many people have had the misfortune to see. I'm also telekinetic."

She and Josef circle him. Vanessa continues "I can move things without ever touching them. For instance, and this is new, but I'm so proud of it, I can make the blood in a body flow any, which way I choose. I'm told it's very painful. I can even drain someone without ever having to touch them."

Richard knows she's not lying. He shakes his head trying to call her bluff anyway. "You can't."

'Oh, but I can and will." The three of them watch as all the blood in Richards's body starts to seep out through his eyes, mouth and every other opening in his body. He tries to scream but she even denies him that ability. He thrashes for a bit and finally he stops flopping on the ground.

Vanessa looks at Josef. "Do you think he suffered enough?"

Josef looks at Vanessa. "Almost." He walks towards Mick. "Let's go." Mick nods and the two of them leave the area.

Vanessa crooks her finger and Angel comes out of the shadows. "Please remove these remains to the nearest furnace."

Angela smiles. "It's nice to have you back in charge ma'am. I'll take care of it. Is there anything else?"

"Yes, Angel. Please meet me at this address in an hour." Vanessa hands her the address and walks away.

Angel smiles and watches her go. _Damn, you just don't cross her._

Angel and her crew remove Richards's body and take it to the closest incinerator. Angel looks down at the address and smiles, _one down and one to go._

Vanessa enters the room and Damian looks up at her. "I wondered when you would show up. At first, I wasn't sure if it would be you or Mick but after some thought I was sure it would be you. I assume Richard went first."

Vanessa nods. "Yes, he started this mess and I ended it. You've been on my list for a very long time and this latest fiasco reminds me that I should never have let it go last time. No, Damian, for Beth and Mick, and anymore of my kith and kin, you are a dead man. Unlike Richard, I will make this quick and clean."

Damian nods. He knew this was coming. He was lucky she didn't kill him the last time. "Vanessa, I have something you need to have. I don't want anyone else to get their hands on it. You will know what to do with it."

He hands her four computer disks. Vanessa has a hunch she knows what's on them. Quickly she spins and in one clean swipe she removes Damian's head.

Vanessa turns as Angel enters the room. "This should be the end of it. Please take care of this mess and send the bill for both clean ups to me, not the council. This was my decision."

Josef and Mick go to Vanessa's home on Long Island to collect Beth so they can all fly home. They find Beth sitting in the night blooming gardens. She sees them approach.

"It's over." Josef tells her. "Let's get to the airport and go home."

She looks at the two of them. Beth isn't sure what happened but whatever it was it was not something either of them is going to forget. She can see it in their eyes. "We have to stay for a bit."

Josef shakes his head. "Why?"

"Because I told Vanessa we wouldn't leave until she got back. It seemed very important to her."

"Crap." Is all Josef can say and he sits down heavily next to Beth on the bench.

Mick smiles. "That pretty well says it all. Man, remind me never ever to piss Vanessa off."

Beth eyes them both. "What happened?"

"Let's say Vanessa took care of Richard and leave it at that." Mick explains.

Beth nods and decides whatever it was it's to fresh for them to talk about.

Mick sits down on the other side of Beth and the three of them sit and relax in the moonlight.

Josef looks up when he senses Vanessa and sees her walking towards them. "Thank you for staying until I got back. I wanted to say good-bye and ask you if you had plans for next week."

Beth smiles. "We're going house hunting."

Vanessa smiles and looks at Mick. "The three of you?"

Mick smiles back understanding her question. "Yes, Vanessa."

"Good. Once you get a break in the whole buying and selling, I expect you three to come back and stay a few days. I want more time with you." She turns to Josef. "And you stop dodging visits. I expect to see all three of you at the solstice."

Josef rolls his eyes. "So, you've abandoned Hera for the Druids?"

Vanessa looks indignant. "Certainly not but I was always fond of the Druids. I like the idea of the solstice and it's a special time of year." He rolls his eyes hoping she won't elaborate.

She looks sternly at Josef. "I mean it."

"Yes, ma'am." He smirks at her.

"Now come, I want hugs, and you can get to your plane."

xxxxxxxxxx

Mick's phone rings and he's a little surprised to see Vanessa's name flashing. "Vanessa?"

"Yes, Mick. I wanted to let you know that Damian won't be bothering any of you ever again."

Mick looks across the cabin at Josef "Josef didn't say anything about Damian."

"I didn't tell Josef. You can if you want. Josef had a blind spot about Damian because he thinks Damian kept Ramsey from killing him. I have no such blind spot. He messed with my family and it was time he was taken care of. I got tired of him playing head games with our people. I thought you should know."

Mick smiles. "Vanessa, Beth and I are lucky you've included us in your family. Thank you."

Vanessa smiles. "Your welcome. If you or Beth ever need anything, please call me."

"I will and thank you again Vanessa, for everything." Mick hangs up.

Vanessa looks up and sees Frank standing in the doorway. "Frank, I had to put an end to Damian, you know I did." She looks at Frank warily. "I didn't think you or Josef would want to take care of it, but for Mick and Beth, Damian had to be dealt with. It's the only way they would ever feel safe."

Frank looks off into the distance and then he nods to Vanessa. "I knew this was coming sooner or later. He's pushed to many boundaries over the years. Now that Ramsey is gone its time the Order had new leadership. I can think of a couple of good candidates. They will do what they were mandated to do by the council without the meddling that Damian was so found of."

"You're not mad then?"

Frank shakes his head. "No, Damian should have been grateful it took you this long to get around to him." Frank crosses the room and pulls her up out of her chair and into his arms.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

One of the flight crew opens the door and Josef, Beth and Mick file down to the tarmac. "Can you drop me at my place?"

Josef smiles. "I figured you had about enough of the pool house. The keys should be in that blue Porsche over there."

Beth looks at him questioningly. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

Mick kisses her. "No, but until we find something for all of us, I'm going to stay at the apartment. You understand, don't you?"

Beth nods. "Yes, of course. Call me and tell what the best time for you to go look at houses."

Mick nods and shakes Josef's hand. "I'm glad it's over and I'll talk to you later."

Josef claps Mick on the back. "Take care."

Josef puts his arm around Beth and smiles down at her as they move towards the Ferrari. They drive off into the night.

xxxxxxxx

Epilogue

Josef enters the private plane sitting on the tarmac. Vanessa stands and they exchange hugs.

She motions for Josef to sit.

"Vanessa, it's not that I'm unhappy to see you. I'm very curious as what could be so important that you would fly in, have me meet you and then just fly back out. On top of that you make me promise not to tell anyone we are meeting. Mick and Beth would love to see you."

"I have a matter to discuss with you and it needs to be done in person." Vanessa watches Josef. "It's about Beth and you and Mick. I asked to see you because I don't think either of them is old enough to have this information."

Josef looks at her questioningly as she continues. "You know that besides Damian's other duties he was a historian for the community."

Josef nods.

"Well, one of the things he did was track bloodlines of the more powerful of us. Unfortunately, he got that idea from me. Josef, before I was turned, I had three daughters."

Josef looks surprised. "I never knew."

"You know how I am about family. In the beginning after I was turned, I kept track of them and their offspring and down through the ages. It was a hobby to give me a connection to my children."

This doesn't surprise Josef in the least.

"Somehow Damian found out what I was doing and managed to get his hands on the information. It was how he found Beth."

Now it's time for Josef to look surprised. "You mean, that Beth is a descendant of yours?" Josef starts to scowl. "If you knew Beth was under threat by being your descendent, why wasn't she under protection before Coraline could get to her?"

"Because there shouldn't have been any threats to her. No one besides me was supposed to know who she is. Josef, I don't tempt fate too much. I keep track of my descendants, but I don't' protect them, I don't alter their fate. I want them to turn out to be whoever they were meant to be without my or any of the community's interference. Having them grow up under someone's thumb is not growing up normal. When they make it to adulthood, I go to them, and see if they have any gifts, if they do, I make my offer to join the tribe. If they refuse, I erase the conversation and never look back. Once Coraline had done her damage I saw the same thing Damian did. Beth would have her protector and it wouldn't happen again."

He reluctantly nods. "All right, I'll give you that."

She laughs lightly. "You could have knocked me over with a feather when you said you were going to turn her. I did not see that coming. Beth is of my direct line, one of the few left. I didn't realize what Damian was doing until he found Beth and manipulated her childhood. After he realized what I had been doing he started back tracking the major bloodlines."

"Does Damian have information on the other bloodlines besides yours?"

"He did. Josef, he's dead. I couldn't let him go anymore. He had to be taken care of and I didn't want you or Frank to have to do it."

"Mick told me. I was debating about killing him. I would have gotten to it, but it's just as well you took care of it. It was the only way Beth was going to feel safe."

Vanessa continues. "You know how this works. Every vampire has a sire but any special abilities that are enhanced when they become a vampire need to be present in the human. Damian's theory was that more powerful of us are linked to only two or three bloodlines. But because vampires are sired up and down the timeline it's not noticed. Like, Beth being my descendant. Before he died Damian gave me all his research. He knew it was time and he didn't want it to fall into the wrong hands. He knew I was coming and gave me his master disks and the copies."

Josef wants to ask her about his own bloodlines but is afraid of her answer.

Vanessa looks at him and sees his hesitancy. "Josef, I wish I had told you this a long time ago. I've always known your bloodlines. You are a direct descendant of mine also."

"Really?" He smiles at her.

"Yes. That day I found you I knew right away that you had to be given the choice. You see, in my bloodline you are the only male to ever show any ability. All the rest have been woman, which is yet another reason you are my only male turn."

Vanessa loves the shocked look on his face. It's not often she gets to surprise him.

"If you have Damian's records… is there anything about Mick?"

"Yes, but you have to promise me you will not tell him any of it until you and I decide the time is right. This is not something he should be told at this time in his life."

Josef nods. "I can agree to that. I trust your judgment. But if something comes up and I feel he has a need to know, I want the right to discuss it with you again."

"Which is exactly the way it should be since you know him better than I do. Josef, Coraline may have been his sire but his gifts come from his mother's side of the family. I'm not sure if Mick even knows this since she was in hiding. His mother was from the house of Romanov."

Vanessa sees Josef's eyes flash for a heartbeat before he manages to hide it. She can't believe after all this time he thinks he can hide anything from her. She will let it go for now but some day they will have to discuss Katrina Romanov."

Josef is speechless. "But they were… are…"

"Josef, some of them are our people, some of them were not. Mick is one of ours. Let's leave it at that for now."

Josef switches gears quickly to hide his feelings. "Good grief, no wonder Mick is so moody, he's Russian nobility. It's in his genes. Let me guess, Maria?

Vanessa nods. "Yes, he is a direct descendant of the kindest of Nicholas's children. She had the gift and before she was turned, she had a child of her own. Unfortunately, even being one of our people didn't save her from suffering the same fate as the rest of her family. The historical records have been blurred often, to protect us and it is the same in this case. It also protects the Romanov's other attributes."

Vanessa watches with amusement as Josef begins to pace. "You are right about Mick doesn't need to know he is part of that bunch."

"Josef, I also think that for now Beth doesn't need to know any of this either."

"Vanessa she would love to know her connection to you."

"Yes, but let's wait until she's a little older."

Josef shrugs. "If you like."

Vanessa hesitates for a moment. "Someday you're going to have to tell her about her father."

He narrows his eyes at her. "How…."

"For goodness sakes I told you Beth is my direct descendant. You don't think I kept track of her mother and what happened to her father? When you said you were going to turn Beth and told me she was a reporter. I had her investigated because I didn't know a lot about her, but I did know about her mother and father."

He sighs. "I'm not going to worry about it until she starts asking about him. If she starts backtracking her own life, we'll cross that bridge at that point."

"Well, now that she's a vamp, they both have time and that's what matters. You know someday she is going to have all the same abilities that I do."

He nods. "Yes, I told her as much, but I don't think she comprehends what that entails and won't until she gets older."

Vanessa stands up and smiles at him. "Now I must get back to New York. I have a great many duties to attend to since I am council head."

Josef turns and hugs her and leaves the plane. Josef watches her plane taxi away. He wonders how much she knows about the Romanov's and his involvement with them. Add in the secrets he's keeping about Beth's dad and he could lose them both.

Xxxxxxxxxxxx

**_18 months later…._**

Beth looks around her little house and smiles. This one is by a lake just like the last. Smokey and Kingston are in the stables not far from her just as before. Josef was as good as his word. It had taken them six months to find a place and have it fitted to their needs.

Mick had consented to live with them for six months, which has turned into a year. She guesses, will turn into another six months and then another year. For this tick of the clock in what she hopes will be a very long-life Beth knows that Josef, she and Mick couldn't be any happier.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

**Well that's it. Comments always welcome.**

**I'll get the next one up as quick as I can. They start getting longer and longer so it might take a bit longer.**


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